250 MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP. 



little barley or oat-meal. Oil-cake and corn-meal are not so 

 suitable, as they do not aflbrd as much cassein, the only ni- 

 trogenized element, as the reader has been informed, of milk. 

 Their fodder through the winter should be of a miscellaneous 

 character. Pea and buckwheat straw are highly agreeable 

 to them, especially the former, which, from its succulency, is 

 well suited to their situation. 



The reader is referred to the correspondence in the Ap- 

 pendix for many valuable hints on the management of breed- 

 ing ewes, when the yeaning takes place in April. In con- 

 clusion, comfort, quietness, and generous feeding are cardinal 

 points of attention with breeding ewes, through the whole 

 period of gestation. 



WETHERS. 



The proper treatment for wethers must be determined 

 by their ages ; when growing, however, they should receive 

 better attention than is usually bestowed. If turned off after 

 their third year, which is usually done if of the Saxon or 

 Merino variety, during the previous winter some graining 

 will be necessary for profit's sake. At this age the writer 

 confines his wethers mostly to oat and wheat straw, feeding, 

 in addition, to each hundred half a bushel of ^corn-cob and oat- 

 meal mixed, or that quantity of unground oats and corn, daily, 

 with half a bushel of cut apples, thrice a week. Apples are 

 much relished by sheep, and withal are very nutritious. After 

 partaking of a mess they manifest greater eagerness for other 

 food, which is quite conclusive of their being stimulating to 

 the appetite. They are an excellent substitute for roots and 

 brouse. Half a bushel (quartered before fed) to the hundred, 

 thrice a week, will be proper. 



BUCKS. 



After the tupping season is over, the bucks should be sep- 

 arated from the ewes, and fed a generous allowance of good 

 hay, with some grain. The latter is especially necessary, if 

 they have performed extra service ; and whether thus or 

 not, those which have not yet attained maturity, should re- 

 ceive the best of attention. For development of the greatest 

 size and the fairest proportions, which are certainly objects 

 of the highest importance, no other policy will accomplish. 

 It will be wise, therefore, in the flock-master not to spare 



