SHEEP. 195 



where the droppings fall. These are removed several times 

 daily, and the floor is sprinkled with a few shovelfuls of sand to 

 keep it sweet and clean as possible. The manure falls into a 

 cellar, where it is worked over by hogs, and mixed with dry 

 loam to absorb the urine. In order to have this dry material 

 to compost with, we have built a tight shed adjoining the stable, 

 where, in dry weather, is laid up enough loam to last several 

 months. It requires a much smaller quantity of dry than wet 

 loam to absorb the urine, and of course the compost will be less 

 " extended." 



As one chief object in soiling has been to increase the quan- 

 tity of manure for use on the farm, I have kept an account of 

 .what we have made during the past six months — beginning in 

 May — from five cows, two horses, and four hogs. The manure 

 is all made in one pen. "We have carted out and have on hand 

 twenty-six cords of what we consider good manure, valued at 

 five dollars per cord. This is at the rate of just one cord per 

 week from May to November. Two-fifths of a cord were used 

 in July for a second crop of corn fodder. Seven cords were 

 used for rye in September, and the remainder we are now 

 ploughing in for a crop of corn next year — thus getting a good 

 part of spring work done in the fall, which could not be done 

 if, as formerly, we depended only on our winter's stock of 

 manure for the next summer's crop. 



Wrentham, November 21, 1861. 



SHEEP. 



HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN AND HAMPDEN. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



In the attempt to make our report, we see no reason why 

 we should approach it with that discouraging feature wliich 

 has heretofore too often accompanied the exhibition of sheep. 

 Although the sheep on exhibition were few in number to what 

 they should be, (and we think to what they will be in the 

 future,) they were far superior, both in number and quality, 



