SHEEP. 183 



proposed in this report to throw out a few hints in regard to the 

 rearing and general management of the flock. 



The importance of keeping up the condition of the flock 

 through the winter and spring, is admitted by all good breeders 

 of sheep. If allowed to lose flesh during the early part of win- 

 ter, their relish for proper food, and their ability to digest it is 

 weakened, and their restoration during the winter and following 

 spring, a difficult matter. The fleece grows but little, and much 

 of it is frequently lost before the following shearing. The 

 above evils may be remedied by feeding turnips, grain, refuse 

 beans, or anything else that they will eat ; the greater the variety 

 the better until they will eat hay readily, when the grain, roots, 

 &Q., may be discontinued, provided the hay is of good quality. 

 The flock, however, would be much improved by feeding grain 

 and roots in addition. The writer has repeatedly carried a flock 

 through the winter in good condition, by feeding what they 

 would eat of any kind of marsh hay, with the addition of a lib- 

 eral feeding of turnips — some four bushels to one hundred sheep 

 daily. 



When sheep begin to lose their relish for hay, induced by an 

 early start of grass in spring, they should again be fed on grain, 

 — even so small a quantity as a half gill per head daily will do 

 much to keep up their condition, which will rapidly diminish at 

 this time if not fed. 



Sheep should be provided with a barn or shed on dry ground, 

 with a door opening to the south, and otherwise well ventilated, 

 which should be constantly well littered, and so large that all 

 may lie down without coming in contact with each other. Al- 

 though the flock may prefer to lie out in mild weather, they will 

 resort to it and find comfortable quarters when the weather is 

 severe. Feeding racks or mangers should be provided, three 

 feet high, two and one-half feet wide, and any desirable length, 

 and should be constructed by nailing boards one foot wide to 

 upright posts on the sides and ends at the bottom ; also boards 

 which may be narrower, on the sides and ends at the top. Short 

 boards, six inches wide, should be nailed from the bottom to the 

 top boards, leaving space six or seven inches wide. 



If flocks could be divided, and provided with separate accom- 

 modations, placing the ewes, the wethers, and the weaned lambs 

 each by themselves, it would be much better than to have the 



