32 The Shepherds' Guide, 



raising Merinos, which on the most moderate 

 computation, calculated on the returns of wool 

 and mutton only, will yield five or six times the 

 profit of common sheep. Cold soils, especially 

 those that lie on a wet bottom, or which are cover- 

 ed with water during the winter, are unfit for 

 she cp of any kind : on such they are liable to that 

 terrible disease the rot, of which happily we know 

 but little as yet in this country. Instances arc 

 recorded of v/hole flocks perishing with the rot, 

 from feeding but a short time on cold wet lands : 

 and Lord Somerville mentions one instance of a 

 farmer who losthis whole flock, merely by feeding 

 one night on a wet common adjoining his lands ; 

 all the ev/es dying as they dropped their lambs. 

 Fattening sheep may be fed on such soils, because 

 the rot is a disease no way infectious, and which 

 does not interfere with their becoming fat. But 

 when from necessity we are compelled to let store 

 sheep run on such pastures, we must be careful 

 not to put them on until the middle of the day, 

 nor should they be sufl"ered to remain on them 

 long, at any one time. Of the natural grasses of 

 this country, the spear grass, the blue grass, and 

 the white clover are among the very best for 

 sheep. They seldom gr(>w tali or rank, aflbrd a 

 sweet bite, of which the sheep are very fond, 

 and are very nutritious ; and where good, 

 will carry more sheep per acre, and fatten them 

 faster than any other of oui' pastures. Persons^ 



