68 THE SHEPHERD'S MANUAL. 



personal experience of many shepherds, and the remark heretofore 

 made to the effect that much is often gained by varying or mixing 

 the diet of sheep. In this instance the same effect is gained by the 

 nse of three-fourths the quantity of the mixed feed, as by the 

 whole quantity when given separately. The actual money cost of 

 the feed may thus be estimated nearly enough for all practical 

 purposes. In estimating the values of the kinds of food more 

 commonly used in the United States and Canada, there are but 

 few really trustworthy data to depend upon, as the careful experi- 

 mental feeding of animals for scientific information, has rarely 

 been attempted. We have nevertheless amongst the current agri- 

 cultural literature of the day, many recorded results contributed 

 by careful and eminently capable and trustworthy men. From 

 amongst these the following have been selected as being practical 

 and to the purpose. In an article communicated to the Country 

 Gentleman, by the Hon. George Geddes, of Fairmount, N. Y., hi 

 May, 1875, are given, the cost of feeding, and the gain in weight of 

 290 sheep fed by Mr. O. M. Watkins, of Onondaga County, during 

 the previous winter, and particularly the cost, etc., during the 

 month of January. The flock consisted of 100 grades, being half 

 Merino and half Cotswold ; another 100 that were Merinos, and 90 

 were called full-blooded Cotswolds, (probably high grades). All 

 these sheep were fed alike, each having one pound of corn daily 

 half of it fed early in the morning, the other half at sunset. 

 Straw and chaff were fed during the day, and one feeding of hay 

 at night. The corn was worth 80 cents for 60 pounds, the hay $10 

 a ton. The quantity of hay fed was reported as equal to 1.3 

 pounds to each sheep per day making 40 pounds for the month, 

 worth 20 cents. The corn for the same time was worth 41 cents, 

 making the cost of corn and hay for each sheep for the month, 

 61 cents. 



The 100 Merino and Cotswold grades increased from 117i Ibs. each 

 to 128J pounds, this being a gain for each sheep of 10$ pounds, and 

 making the cost of each pound 5.67 cents. The 100 Merinos weighed 

 Jan. 1, 94J pounds each, and Feb. 1, lOli pounds- gaining 7i pounds 

 each, at a cost of 8.4 cents. The 100 so-called full-blooded Cots 

 wolds weighed 118 pounds each Jan. 1, and Feb. 1, 123J gaming 

 only 5 pounds each, at a cost of 11.6 cents per pound. Upon 

 these facts, Mr. Geddes comments as follows : " The manure made 

 during the time by these sheep, I consider worth more than the 

 manure that would have been made by the same number of pounds 

 of beef cattle. Thirty-two steers, each weighing 1,000 pounds, 

 Would almost exactly equal the total number of pounds of these 



