198 MODERN SHEEP: BREKDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



ewes. I am ready to admit that this seems extravagant., but no 

 one can have conveniences in a sheep barn without some outlay. 

 In handling a flock of pure-bred ewes one can afford to furnish 

 these conveniences, for it pays to give individual attention to such 

 ewes. It is absolutely necessary for the highest success. 



"In order to get the ventilation and the sunshine, the barn is 

 placed with one long side to the south or southeast, and this side 

 is weather-boarded just four feet from the ground. All the cracks 

 are stripped to prevent draughts. The upper half of this south 

 side consists of long windows hinged at the top, so they can be 

 opened outward and upward. If this amount of glass is too ex- 

 pensive, part of these windows may be replaced by wooden doors 

 hinged in the same way. A ventilating shaft two feet square 

 passes from the top of the shed at the center through the mow 

 and is properly capped about two feet above the comb of the roof. 



"The hay is put into the mow with a hay fork and is passed 

 down to the passage between the feed racks by hay holes, which are 

 kept free by building up a set of boxes around the holes as the 

 hay is put in. 



"Grain is elevated to the mow by the pulleys of the hay fork 

 and placed in bins in the granary marked G. You notice that bins 

 are provided for oats, bran, corn, peas and meal ; oil cake should 

 also be on hand. The feed should be mixed as it is used, so the 

 feeder can adjust his feed to the sheep. He can thus introduce 

 variety in his feeding, which is important. 



"At E in the feed passage is a trap-door admitting one to the 

 root-cellar, which is so placed that the roots can be placed in from 

 a wagon on the outside by means of a chute. This cellar should be 

 lined with concrete and having the following dimensions: twelve 

 feet long, six feet wide, six feet deep. 



"The feed racks are movable. They will average about twelve 

 feet in length for this shed. They are constructed so that both the 

 hay and the grain can be put in from the passage. This is a most 

 convenient rack devised by my brother, and I shall gladly furnish 

 a sketch of the rack later. 



"At S and S degrees are salt boxes and a water trough should 

 be just outside the shed. At L and L degrees are lamb creeps in 

 which bran and meal are always on hand for the lambs. The gate 

 marked 5 divides the upper side of the shed into two parts and 

 sheep may be passed from the upper to the lower side by the gates 

 marked 9 and 10. H, E and F are pens for handling a few ewes 

 by themselves. These pens are ten feet long by five feet wide and 

 have their own hay racks and feed boxes. The gates 12, 13 and 14 

 open outward. These pens should be movable. The sides may be 

 made of light stuff and fastened to the wall by heavy iron hooks. 

 Gate marked 11 is a movable gate. When not in use it can be 



