NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



13 



No. 2. Five sheep were placed under shelter. 

 and allowed to run at a temperature of 49 deg.; they 

 consumed at first eighty-two pounds, then seventy 

 pounds per day, and increased in weight twenty- 

 tiiree pounds. 



No. 3. Five sheep were placed in the same shed, 

 but not allowed any exercise; they ate at first sixty- 

 four pounds, then fifty-eiglit pounds, and increased 

 in weight thirty pounds. 



No. 4. Five sheep were kept in the dark, quiet 

 and covered; they ate thirty-five pounds per day, 

 ajid increased in weight eight pounds." 



A similar experiment was tried by Mr. Childers. 

 M. P. He states, that eighty Leicester sheep, in 

 the open field, consumed fifty baskets of cut tur- 

 nips per day, besides oil cake. On putting them 

 in a shed, they were immediately able to consume 

 only thirty baskets, and soon after but 25, being on- 

 ly one-half the quantity required before; and yet 

 they fattened as rapidly, as when eating the larg- 

 est quantity. 



From these experiments, it appears, that the least 

 quantity of food, which is required for fattening, is, 

 when animals are kept closely confined in warm 

 shelters; and the greatest quantity, when running 

 at large exposed to all weather. But, although an- 

 imals will fatten faster for a certain time, without 

 exercise than with it, if they are closely confined 

 for any considorable time, and are at the same tim( 

 full fed, they become, in some measure, feverish 

 tlie proportion of fat becomes too large, and the meat 

 Ls not so palateable and healthy, as when they are 

 allowed moderate exercise, in yards or small fields 



As to the kinds of food which may be used most 

 advantageously in fattening, this will generally de 

 pend upon what is raised upon the farm, it being 

 preferable, in most cases, to use the produce of the 

 farm. Sheep prefer beans to almost any other grain; 

 hut neither beans or peas are so fattening, as some 

 other grains; and are used most advantageously 

 along witli them. Beans, peas, oats, barely, rye, buck- 

 wheat, &c., may be used along with Indian corn, or 

 oil cake or succulent food, making various changes, 

 and mixtures, in order to furnish the variety of food, 

 which is so much relished by the sheep, and which 

 should ever be attended to by the sheep fattener. 

 This will prevent their being cloyed, and will has- 

 ten the fattening process. A variety of food, (says 

 Mr. Spooner) operates like cookery in the human 

 subject, enabling more sustenance to be taken. 



The quantity of grain or succulent food, which it 

 will be proper to feed, will depend upon the size, 

 age and condition of the sheep, and judgment must 

 be used, in ascertaining how much they can bear. 

 Mr. Childers states that sheep (New Leicester) fed 

 with the addition of half a pint of barley per sheep, 

 per day; half a pound of linseed oil cake, with hay, 

 and a constant supply of .salt, becaraj ready for the 

 butcher in ten weeks; and gain of flash and tallow, 

 tJiirty-three pounds to forty pounds per head. (One 

 slieep gained fifty-five pounds in twelve weeks.) 



This experiment shows what is about the largest 

 amount of grain which it is necessary or proper to 

 feed to New Leicester sheep, at any time while fat- 

 tening. The average weight of forty New Leices- 

 ter wethers before fattening, was found by Mr. Chil- 

 ders to be one hundred and twenty-eight pounds 

 each. By weighing an average lot of any other 

 kind of sheep, which are to be fattened, and by ref- 

 erence to the table of comparative nutriment of the 

 different kinds of food, a calculation maybe readily 



made, as to the largest amount, which will be ne- 

 cessary for them, of any article of food whatever. 



When sheep are first put up for fattening, they 

 should be sorted, when convenient, so a.s to put 

 those of the same age, size, and condition, each by 

 themselves, so that each may have a fair chance to 

 obtain its proportion of food, and may be fed the 

 proper length of time. 



They should be fed moderately at first, gradually 

 increasing the quantity to the largest amount, and 

 making the proper changes of food, so as not to cloy 

 them, nor produce acute diseases of the head or in- 

 testines, and never feeding so much as to scour 

 them. 



Sheep, when fattening, should not be fed often- 

 er than three times a day, viz: morning, noon, and 

 evening. In the intervals between feeding, they 

 may fill themselves well, and will have time suffi- 

 cient for rumination and digestion; these processes 

 are interrupted by too frequent feeding. But they 

 should be fed with regularity, both as to the quan- 

 tity of food, and the time when it is given. When 

 convenient, they should have access to water at all 

 times; otherwise a full supply of it should be fur- 

 nished to them immediately after they have con- 

 sumed each foddering. 



When sheep become extremely fat, whether pur- 

 posely or not, it is generally expedient to slaugh- 

 ter them. Permitting animals to become alternate- 

 ly very fat and lean is injurious to all stock. There- 

 fore, if animals are too strongly inclined to fatten 

 at an age when wanted for breeding, their condi- 

 tion as to flesh should be regulated by the quantity 

 and quality of their food or pasture. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 VENTILATION OF POULTRY HOUSES, 



Mr. Cole : — At this season of the year when the 

 domestic poultry is put into winter quarters a few 

 remarks upon the importancce of ventilation in 

 poultry houses may not be out of place. 



Many persons have, within the past year, erect- 

 ed poultry houses with the view of keeping their 

 poultry so warm and comfortable that their hens 

 must lay eggs during the coldest weather; but in 

 the construction of their houses they have over- 

 looked or forgotten that ventilation is quite as nec- 

 essary as warmth, for the health and comfort of 

 fowls. 



A few weeks since a person residing in the vi- 

 cinity of this city, who has erected an ornamental 

 aud commodious house for his poultry, complained 

 to me, that for the last month his hens had not fur- 

 nished him with any eggs, although he supplied 

 them with all kinds of grain, animal food, gravel, 

 lime, water, &c. 



The poultry house was so constructed that the 

 fowls had the benefit of the sun whenever it shone^ 

 the southern side of the house being of glass. The 

 floor was laid in cement so that no vermin could en- 

 ter it, and covered with gravel several inches thick, 

 and to guard against the cold the house was made 

 as tight as possible. Notwithstanding these cau- 

 tions the fowls did not thrive, for the simple cause; 

 their owner had neglected ventilation. He has 

 since made two ventilators, one at each end of his 

 building, the fowls have begun to lay and now fur- 

 nish as many eggs ;is their owner needs for the use 

 of his family. 



With regard to the management of domestic fowls, 



