The Shepherds' Guide. 45 



der hay, and the troughs occasionally with bran, 

 or Indian meal, the lambs within, undisturbed by 

 the ewes, soon learn to eat, both, by which their 

 growth and strength are greatly promoted. 



The sheep racksshould be sufficiently long to al- 

 low the whole of the flock, or at least as many as 

 must feed at one time, sufficient room, without 

 crowding each other ; or at least should be so pla- 

 ced that one portion of the flock may be feeding at 

 the rack, whilst the other portion is at the troughs- 



Around, or near the fold, should always be one 

 or two pasture fields, into which the sheep may 

 be permitted to go during the middle of the day 

 for exercise, whenever the ground is bare, or near- 

 ly so : and if one of these had been shut up from 

 the end of the summer, or had been sown early 

 with rye, it will be found very beneficial, especi- 

 ally for ewes and lambs, early in the spring ; and 

 ,the rye will not only be very little injured by be- 

 ing thus pastured with sheep, but if the same 

 field be kept for the same purpose, and repeated- 

 ly sown for a succession of years with rye, and 

 pastured every spring, the crop of rye will be bet- 

 ter and better ; and the field so far enriched, that 

 although at first it would only produce rye, after 

 four or five years it will yield an excellent crop of 

 wheat. The only precaution necessary in thus 

 feeding rye, is not to let the sheep run on it du- 

 ring the late fall, and the early winter and spring 

 months j unless the ground be frozen : otherwise, 



