MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 267 



to eat a bit of anything after they have once run over it) would 

 expect that after the lambs had run over the pea feed a few times 

 at least, they would cease to eat it until starved to it. But neither 

 of these suppositions is* true. It would seem that the soil keeps the 

 feed sweet as long as there is any feed left, and the lambs will 

 feed over and over and over the same ground as long as there is 

 any feed there; and the pea grain which becomes covered up in 

 the loose dirt, by their running over it, as some of it does, they 

 will dig out and eat, And it is not a rare or unusual or acci- 

 dental thing, but a general and constant practice. They all learn 

 quickly; and it would seem that they like the grain better after 

 it has been buried, for they will frequently dig for it when there 

 is plenty above ground. And it is surprising how clean they will 

 eat up the feed in a field and still make the usual gain. So long 

 as they get 'full as ticks/ and are quiet and contented, and lie 

 down, it is safe to conclude that they are getting plenty to eat 

 and are doing well, although the field, to the casual observer or 

 inexperienced feeder, would seem to be almost bare of feed. 



"As suggested above, whatever grain the lambs may leave 

 hogs will get, and cattle will clean up the vines, so that, by one 

 way or another, there need be no waste of feed, practically, in 

 this method of feeding lambs. 



"It should be noted that throughout the greater part of the 

 valley artesian wells are obtained (at from 130 to 400 feet), so 

 that most of the feeders have flowing wells in their fields, to which 

 the lambs have access at will at all times during the day. The 

 temperature of the water is 50 to 53 degrees, so that the lambs 

 drink it readily in the coldest weather. 



"Our present lamb feeding methods having attracted wide 

 attention, it is frequently predicted that they will become general 

 over quite wide regions of the west, especially of the inter- 

 mountain regions. It is very doubtful if this will prove to be the 

 case. The success of the methods depends upon certain climatic 

 conditions, and which are probably found here in San Luis Valley 

 in greater degree of perfection than they are known at present to 

 exist elsewhere, or in any considerable area. 



"These conditions are three in number, any one of which 

 being absent will render success very doubtful, if not impossible. 

 These are: First, a climate sufficiently cool for the peas to 

 thrive. Field peas are a cool climate plant. They thrive in 

 Canada, and in some places in the United States along the 

 Canadian border, but in few other places in this country. It is 

 doubtful if they will thrive in regions sufficiently warm to grow 

 such fruit 'as peaches. 



"Second, the vines must continue to grow or remain green 

 until after summer or fall rains have ceased, so that they will ripen 

 or cure down, like grass does in the 'short grass country.' If 



