194 MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP. 



oily moisture with which it is naturally imbued. More- 

 over, the plants growing in such situations cannot but be in- 

 jurious to sheep, owing to their impregnation, though a 

 slight one, with calcareous matter ; for grooms know well 

 how soon a horse's coat becomes disordered by the frequent 

 use of hard or well water, and prefer, therefore, the river for 

 their steeds." 



His last remark is true, and is worthy of much consider- 

 ation with the wool-grower. By careful observation and 

 comparison, it will be found that where sheep are fed on 

 limestone soils, and, consequently, the water hard, the wool 

 from them does not possess that peculiar softness, as that 

 from sheep of the same stock kept on lands deprived of cal- 

 careous matter, and the water soft. Exceptions, however, 

 to this exist, if the herbage materially differs of the respec- 

 tive localities, as for instance, if in the latter it is very lux- 

 uriant, and coarse, and the former short, and abounding in 

 aromatic plants. 



The presence of too much moisture in soils being a para- 

 mount objection, other than very chalky ones, none are 

 wholly exceptionable for the purposes of sheep culture but 

 those of the opposite extreme, viz. — too dry, from their po- 

 rosity. This is the case in nearly all sections where sand 

 greatly predominates ; and is thus, to a considerable extent, 

 south of the Middle States, in light loams, from exposure to 

 too much heat. That soil, to furnish a uniform supply of 

 pasture, should have a due admixture of clay, to cause such 

 a degree of adhesiveness as will prevent the herbage, du- 

 ring the summer months, from withering, by drought. Too 

 much sand in a soil is a fatal objection to sheep culture 

 ■wherever it is found, and especially so in the South and 

 Southwestern States, as nothing contributes so much, not 

 only to perfect the several properties of wool, but early ma- 

 turity and perfection of carcase, as a uniform and plentiful 

 supply of food at all seasons ; and this a soil too porous can- 

 not be expected to furnish during the warm parts of the year, 

 scarcely in any section of the United States. 



The next essential thing connected with locality, is 



HERBAGE. 



There is nothing beyond this in importance to the sheep- 

 breeder, as from the quality and quantity of the herbage 

 produced on his lands necessarily, in a measure, influences 



