SECRETARY'S REPORT. 125 



make fat or wool, which, when it stops growing, becomes dead 

 at the root ; when later in the season the farmer finds his sheep 

 poor and losing, he gives them a more generous treatment, it 

 goes to the formation of new wool, but not to the renewal of 

 that fleece, which naturally comes off as spring advances. There 

 is no animal so difficult to revive, and bring up to good condi- 

 tion, as a sheep which has been allowed to run down and grow 

 poor. 



WINTER TREATMENT. 



We now come to the winter treatment of sheep, and the first 

 requisite is to see that they have good and sufficient protection 

 against the cold and storms of our New England winter ; most 

 of those who made returns to us, say that they keep their sheep 

 in yards, with a comfortable shed to run into when they choose. 

 Protection they must have to be kept in a thriving condition, and 

 to keep flesh and wool growing. Experiments made by Lord 

 Ducie, a few years ago, show positively, that even in the com- 

 paratively mild climate of England, with the thermometer at 

 44°, sheep kept under sheds consumed one-fifth less food than 

 those in open fields, and produced one-third more meat, making 

 a difference of nearly fifty per cent. Clear water is also neces- 

 sary, all the better if running. Salt is also nearly as important, 

 as during the summer months, to promote appetite and assist 

 digestion, though it is said that a too free use of it to ewes with 

 lamb, may produce abortion. The sheds and yards ought to be 

 thoroughly and frequently littered. In feeding, one very essen- 

 tial element is, always to feed about the same time of day, at 

 sunrise in the morning, at noon, and about an hour before dark, 

 that they may eat and lie down. Sheep do not eat as well in 

 the dark ; during the short days of the winter the noon feed is 

 often omitted. They should always be kept and fed separately 

 by themselves, and not with cattle or any other stock ; if fine- 

 woolled, not over one hundred in one enclosure or yard ; fifty 

 would be better ; if of the larger breeds, not over fifty. Too 

 much care cannot be exercised in feeding ewes with lamb ; 

 they ought not to be fed very high, nor with very rich food just 

 previous to parturition ; there is danger of causing too large a 

 flow of very rich milk, which seriously affects the lambs. A 

 sheep eats from three to three and a-half per cent, of its weight 



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