22 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



torn 1x6 inches wide. When complete the panel is 12 feet 

 long and 3 feet 2 inches high. The end cross slats are nailed 

 on the same side and 6 inches from the ends of the boards. 

 The spaces from below are 6, 6*4 and 7^4 inches. The bot- 

 tom board of the headpiece is 6 x i% inches and 3 feet 6 

 inches long on the ground side. The two uprights are 4 

 x i% inches and 4 feet long. One is nailed on each side 

 of the sole piece, and these cross each other at about 6 

 inches from the ends. The notches are 3 inches deep and 

 2 inches wide. When in place the corresponding slats of 

 the panels rest side by side in the notches. Wire nails 

 are used 3^2 inches long. It is frequently necessary to 

 drive a short stake beside the base of the headpiece, which 

 is also nailed to it, to prevent the wind from tipping it 

 over. 



A third objection to grazing sheep thus arises from 

 the harm that follows such grazing when the soil is wet 

 from rain or when the crops well grown are wet with 

 dew. Harm comes to the land if grazed soon after heavy 

 rain ; such harm results from impaction. It increases with 

 increase in the clay content in the soil, with increase in 

 the saturation of the land, and with increase in the weight 

 of the sheep that are being thus grazed. Harm conies to 

 the crop, especially when the growth has advanced some 

 distance above the ground, as the sheep while grazing on 

 it when wet with dew or rain break it down much more 

 readily than they would under other conditions of graz- 

 ing. The grazing is also soiled more or less by earth ad- 

 hering to it, and in this way it becomes so offensive to 

 the sheep as to be rejected by them. Harm to some ex- 

 tent may also come to the sheep when wading through 

 tall pastures, as for instance those furnished by rape, corn 

 and sorghum, when these are saturated by rain or a 

 copious dew. Such a condition is not natural, and, there- 

 fore, it cannot be conducive to the well being of the sheep. 

 The necessity for a grass pasture will be thus apparent 

 on which to graze the sheep when the other pastures are 



