246 MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP. 



food does not comport with that variety of condiment, which 

 has so frequently been urged ; and consequently, if a pro- 

 vision is not made of something else, it will be followed by 

 disorganized action of the. digestive functions^ producing 

 costiveness and constipation. The disease so frequent and 

 fatal in American flocks, called the " stretches," rewsults from 

 costiveness ; but this is scarcely known in England, which 

 arises from the large quantities of succulent food the sheep 

 are supplied with during the winter months. In addition to 

 this, further proof may be found in the fact that it is never 

 known to attack the animal during the grass season. The 

 writer speaks from personal observation, in stating that a 

 supply of green food is indispensably necessary as a pre- 

 ventive of this disease. 



In addition to green food operating thus, it has a tendency 

 to increase the wool and yolk secretions, and thereby those 

 valuable properties of wool, such as elasticity, softness, and 

 soundness, are increased and perfected ; and withal, being 

 conducive to health, the condition is improved, and conse- 

 quently an augmented quantity of wool is a certain result. 



WATER NECESSARY. 



That water during the foddering season is of paramount 

 importance to the health and general well-doing of sheep, is 

 no longer a mooted point. It is true that the animal will 

 quench its thirst, as far as it is possible, by eating snow ; but 

 if tested by experiment, it will readily be seen which it 

 prefers. Some object to provide water, for the reason, that 

 when the weather is very cold, it drinks too much, and there- 

 by is robbed of much animal heat. This is somewhat true, 

 but if warm shelters are provided, as they should be, it is 

 counteracted. If the experiment is made with a given num- 

 ber, a portion being, permitted access daily to water, and the 

 others only the poor privilege of eating frozen snow to be 

 dissolved in the stomach, it will be discovered that the first 

 are more healthy, and will yield a greater crop of wool, 

 which will be distinguished for those properties named under 

 the preceding head. It cannot be expected that the wool 

 fluids will be abundant if the sheep is denied water, unless 

 roots form a good proportion daily of its consumption. In 

 this case they will rarely drink, provided they are not salted 

 too profusely. If the reader will refer to the chapter on the 



