460 LIVE-STOCK. 



Keep their yard dry and well littered, and protect them from 



cold and wet storms. Sheep dislike wet yards and leaky roofs as 

 much as a cat does a wet floor. 



Sheep bear more exposure than any other of our domestic 



animals (not even excepting horses not worked)— that is, exposure 

 to the weather, but not without shelter from storms. 



Sheep frequendy suffer greatly in August for want of water. If 



there is no water in their pasture lot, let them be put at night in a 

 lot where there is water, or else be driven to water night and morn- 

 ing ; allow them plenty of time to drink. If the weather is wet and 

 the grass long and succulent, it is a good plan to mow a portion of 

 it occasionally. The sheep will eat and thrive on the dried grass. 

 It is a true saying that "sheep like roast meat better than boiled." 

 Lambs should be weaned in August. Let them have the best of 

 pasture after weaning, and place the ewes on poor pastures until 

 dry. Examine the bags for a few days, and, if necessary, draw out 

 the milk. When dry, and if early lambs are desired next spring, 

 the ewes toward the latter end of the month should begin to have 

 abundance of good food. Strong, healthy lambs can only be ex- 

 pected from ewes in good condition. Sheep intended to be fattened 

 next winter should be purchased in August and placed in good pas- 

 ture. In the case of Merinoes select strong, thrifty wethers three or 

 four years old. There is no money to be made in fattening poor 

 sheep in winter. 



— Separate all feeble ones from the main flock, so that every one 

 may receive a little grain and roots daily in connection with other 

 food. 



— Sheep, if fed liberally and managed carefully, are most profit- 

 able stock. The better we do for them, the better they will do for 

 us; badly managed, they are likely to prove a failure. 



— Feeding sheep for market is a profitable business for those who 

 have judgment to buy well, to feed well and to sell well. Two 

 profits can easily be made : a big manure heap and good pay for 

 feed and care will be returned to the skillful feeder. 



— Apply a litde pine tar to their noses to repel the fly. Separate 

 bucks from ewes, or fetter their fore legs about five or six inches 

 apart, that they may be impotent to harm. Designate the age and 

 character of each sheep by significant marks on the rumps or 

 shoulders. A figure (i, 2 or 3, etc.) on the shoulder may signify a 

 ewe and her age, and one on the rump a wether and his age. 



— Make timely and suitable preparations for protecting all kinds 

 of sheep from the cold storms of rain and snow, which are usually 

 called " May lamb-killers." If sheep have been turned to grass, 



