386 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



in a separate enclosure (of which several should 

 be previously prepared) and fed with the most 

 nutritious fodder, particularly with succulent 

 liquids, that the udder may be uncomfortably 

 distended ; and if this is not sufficient she must 

 be tied by the legs till the lamb has been once 

 suckled ; after which there will be no further 

 difficulty. The mother's milk is by far the best 

 nourishment for the lambs, and should never be 

 taken from thero for other purposes, as is often 

 practised by shepherds. About three or four 

 weeks after birth the lambs should be fed with 

 bruised oafs, or oil cakes softened in wafer, 

 tender hay and well dried red clover, or other 

 similar fodder. In order that the lambs alone 

 may eat their proper fodder an enclosure is 

 made, through the apertures of which they can 

 pHs«, vvhile the full grown sheep are excluded. 



This previous feeding enables them better to 

 support being weaned at the proper time. — 

 The weaning should take place very gradually 

 for the benefit of the ewe as well as of the 

 lamb, and after weaning, the lambs should be 

 kept at a considerable distance from the ewes. 



The ram lambs are cut at three or four weeks 

 old, the tails of the ewe lambs are cut ofT to 

 within about three inches or something less of 

 the body at the same age. 



The fodder or pasture of sheep has been 

 found after the most careful experiments to 

 have no effect on the fineness and very little on 

 the elasticity of the wool ; but a very impor- 

 tant one on the thickness and length and con- 

 sequently on the weight of the fleece. Its ef- 

 fect on the health and increase of a flock is of 

 course all important. 



The most important circumstance in regard 

 to the strength of" the sheep is that the supply 

 of food should be equal tn quantity at all times, 

 except a little increase during the time of suck- 

 ling. Even the wool often becomes weak and 

 loose in consequence of sudden changes from 

 plentiful to scanty feed and vice versa. It is 

 therefore essential that the fodder in winter and 

 the pasturage in summer should be provided in 

 such manner as to subject the sheep to no chan- 

 ges of this kind. 



A sudden increase of food is rery injurious, 

 although sheep may be gradually accustomed to 

 a very plentiful supply, and generally fully re- 

 pay the additional expense in the increased 

 quantity of their wool. The proportion of time 

 during which sheep may be pastured differs of 

 course in different climates. In Saxony, sheep 

 are kept about five months on winter feed, biif 

 good farmers lay in a stock for 170 days to 

 guard against scarcity in case of a backward 

 spring. The excess is never lost, though late 

 fall feed or early pasture in the spring should 

 allow it to be laid up for another year. 

 Pasturage. 



Sheep are seldom admitted to pasture in sum- 

 mer on the meadows, except here and there on 

 the driest and leanest spots, but it often hap- 

 pens that they are driven on in the spring, if 

 the grass -tarts early enough for them to feed 

 some time and be driven off again four weeks 

 before the cattle are driven on. The sheep re- 

 ceive no injury in this way, provided there are 

 no pools of standing water in the meadow, and 

 they do not remain on it too long. Generally, 

 however, the only pasture they have, is on the 

 drier and leaner soils ; particularly on steeji 



hills, not easily arable nor producing sufficient 

 pasturage for cattle. This kind of pasture is 

 the best suited to sheep, and such land can in 

 no way be so well improved. It often happens 

 however, that such high lands are not without 

 swampy and springy places or pools of water 

 either on the sides or in ravines between the 

 hills; and all such spots are very dangerous 

 for the sheep. All places where water plants 

 are nourished should be carefully avoided, 

 and more than ever during the greatest heat of 

 summer when they are dry from evaporation. 

 They are then more dangerous than ever 

 because deadly vapours are constantly rising 

 through the dry crust that covers them, and 

 oftener than any other circumstance create 

 the rot which it is so diflBcult to conquer when 

 once its ravages have begun. It is by no meais 

 during the growing season that this danger is 

 most to be feared, for at that period the sheep 

 find sufficient nourishment in dry situations and 

 avoid wet spots of their own accord. Merino 

 sheep are doubtless more subject to the rot than 

 the coarser breeds, and therefore require par- 

 ticular care in this respect. All such marshy 

 spots should therefore be carefully drained in 

 places where these sheep are to be pastured 

 Wooded pasturage affords sometimes very good 

 feed — but if the shade is very close, the grass, 

 though sometimes very plentiful, is not so nutri- 

 tious as elsewhere and the wool of sheep re- 

 ceives some injury from the deep shade. The Ii 

 young grass on fields in fallow as well as the | 

 fall feed after harvest are excellent for sheep, 

 particularly the former. 



The best pasture must be reserved for the 

 lambs, the next for rams and ewes, and the poor- 

 est for the wethers. 



The winter feed consists usually of hay and 

 straw only. The best hay is well dried, early 

 fresh meadow hay, which should be mowed as 

 young as possible, and not cut on marshy pla- 

 ces. Clover, Lucerne, &c. if well got in, are 

 preferable to other grasses. 



Straw intended for sheep must also be got in 

 dry and sweet. It is nourishing only in so far 

 as it is mixed with weeds, unripe ears, and 

 heads not thoroughly thrashed. The best straw 

 is therefore to be found on the worst managed 

 farms. Perfectly clean straw affords almost no 

 nourishment, except a little in the joints; — but 

 it aids in digestion and helps at least to fill the 

 stomach. 



The stalks of peas and beans are more suc- 

 culent, but there is a great difl'erence between 

 such as are mowed before they are fully ripe 

 and those that are dry before mowing. In the 

 former case lliey make very good fodder — 

 though hay is preferable. The usual calcula- 

 tion is two or three pounds per day of dry fod- 

 der for a full grown sheep, but many farmers 

 give less than a pound of hay, and make up the 

 deficiency in straw and pea vines. A flock 

 may be kept alive on this fodder, but without 

 mixing some grain or at least halt'-thr.lshed 

 straw with it, it is impossible that a flock should 

 go on improving in quality, notwithstanding the 

 greatest care in other respects. I'he most 

 tconomical method, considering the increased 

 weight of wool which may be produced by it, 

 is to give the sheep as much dry fodiler as they 

 will readily eat. If hay alone is used, at least 

 two hundred weight is necessary for each sheep ; 



and if a few peas and summer straw are adde( 

 the supply will be ample for the winter. 



Potatoes, turnips, carrots and many othei 

 roots furnish excellent fodder for sheep ; o 

 which it is unnecessary to speak at large, fh( 

 circumstances of each farm being the best guid( 

 as to their use. 



Salt is required by sheep at intervals during 

 the whole year, but it is often given in too greai 

 quantity and almost forced upon the sheep 

 which is always injurious, and oft«n injures (he 

 digestion so that the best grain will pass througl 

 them unaltered. The best mode, where roct 

 salt is to be had, is to attach pieces here anc 

 there in the stable or the pasture and let them 

 lick it as they wish. The usual calculation ii 

 from one to two pounds yearly per head, but I 

 have found that something less than one pound 

 was quite sufficient and more than this is nol 

 given in Saxony to the best managed flocks. 



It is very important that sheep should he fur 

 nished with clear water to prevent their drink 

 ing from stagnant, muddy pools, which almos 

 always occasions disease. If there is no run 

 ning stream in tbeir pasture they should be wa 

 tered as often as twice a day from a well. 



The principal requisites for Ihe stall or iheltt; 

 for sheep are dryness, airiness, and sufficien 

 room. They are very little liable to injur 

 from cold. Lambs, however, should be pro 

 tected from extreme cold for a few weeks afte 

 birth. 



Dry fodder should always be put in cribs, aD> 

 not thrown on the ground or barn floor. 



The best method of washing wool previoo 

 to shearing is to wet the fleece thoroughly o 

 the previous evening by immersing the anim: 

 repeatedly in a stream of water, in order tbi 

 the dirt adhering to the wool may be soften* 

 and more easily removable on (he following da 

 when the principal washing is lobe done. Cai 

 toust be taken that the sheep do not swallo 

 any water during the process. Three or foi 

 days after the washing, when the wool has be« 

 thoroughly dried, and after the natural moislui 

 has begun to reappear, the shearing may t 

 commenced. 



(To be continued.) 



Ai Address delivered be/ore the Monroe {JV. Y.) A ' 

 ricultural Society, at their annual mcetin^^ 

 1823. By Mr. James Sperry, President of I 

 Society. [Continued from p, 382.] 



observations on tillage and farming. 

 Good tillage consists in ploughing and fittil' 

 l.ind well for the reception of seed ; and goi 

 farming, in keeping a farm in repair, and 

 adapting our system to the nature and extent 

 the soil, and in determining on a rotation 

 crops which may keep the whole in such 

 state of fertility as will reward our labors wi> 

 abundance. The heighth of good farming wiHIl ' 

 therefore be, in so cultivating our land as to'o 

 tain the greatest possible yield, and this witbsi 

 exhausting the soil, beyond a good fertile stab 

 we should however regard economy in tl 

 pursuit of this object, so much as to puW' 

 that system which would be attended with t 

 least expense, in proportion to the profits re 

 ized. It is well known to the most superfic 

 observer, that although good land may yi' 

 abundantly for several years in succession,'; 

 that a constan4 succession of cropping will 



I*) 



