Essai/ on Sheep, 163 



takes place here. Upon Long-Island and else- 

 where near the sea, the cattle requu*e no salt, nor 

 manifest any desire for it; whereas, on the north 

 of the Highlands they eat it ravenously, and it 

 is thought essential to their health. The anci- 

 ents also entertamed similar sentiments on this 

 subject. Aristotle prescribed one peck every 

 five days, during the summer, to one hundred 

 sheep. We should consider this as a large al- 

 lowance, but it would be readily eaten. They 

 also observe, that however good your pastures 

 may be, the sheep will tire of them if not 

 changed, unless their appetites are kept up by 

 salt. 



I have been so often asked how much food 

 is necessary for a sheep, and, indeed, a solution 

 of the question is so important, that I think it 

 right to state all that I can collect upon the 

 subject. I have already given Daubenton's 

 very accurate experiments, and they may serve 

 as data to determine the comparative value of 

 grass and other green provender. Lawrence, 

 who appears to be an accurate and well in- 

 formed agriculturalist, says, that a sheep will 

 eat twenty pounds of turneps in twenty-four 

 hours, but that one gallon of potatoes will ge- 

 nerally suffice; from which it would follow, 

 that less than eight pounds of potatoes are equal 



