APPENDIX. 405 



inclies ; and the top pieces are connected to the legs in the same 

 manner as the bottom plank is, the tenon nmning through the 

 legs sufficiently to put in a small wooden pin. The rick is made 

 flaring, so that it is two feet wide at top. The cost of each is 

 about two dollars. 



I have never had my attention called particularly to the amount 

 of hay Saxon sheep will consume, but should judge I had kept 

 well one hundred during the winter on seven tons, together with 

 the straw and chaff' I fed them. 



I feed neither roots nor grain, believing it to be neither profit- 

 able nor economical so to do, for the following reasons : — It is 

 much more expensive to feed grain ; — grain I conceive to be an 

 unnatural food for sheep ; — it causes an undue degree of heat, 

 and as it produces a greater quantity of wool, it is of coarser tex- 

 ture. 



I think it is of gi-eat importance that a sheep should be, as 

 nearly as possible, in the same condition, as regards flesh, at all 

 seasons of the year, particularly a flock of sheep you intend to 

 keep and breed from. This you cannot do and feed grain a portion 

 of the year. 



I think variety of food is beneficial during the winter. I should 

 prefer feeding clover hay about one-third of the time and timothy 

 the remainder ; clover has an effect upon the bowels of sheep 

 similar to that produced by grass. I also feed straw and 

 chaff', believing that there is no animal to which they can be fed 

 with as much profit. 



Never having fed any grain, I cannot say what kind will pro- 

 duce the greatest quantity of wool. 



The supposirion that sheep cannot be sufficiently well kept upon 

 hay during the winter is, in my opinion, erroneous. Much de- 

 pends upon the time at which, and the manner in which, it is 

 cured. I am satisfied from my experience, that timothy for 

 sheep should be cut at least two weeks before you would cut it 

 for cattle ; before the seed gets fully ripe, and clover while in the 

 blow. My practice in curing timothy is to turn out the swarths 

 immediately after the mower in the moniing, turning over again 

 after dinner, and cocking up the grass before night. The next 

 day (if fine) turning out from cock as soon as the dew is off', 

 turning over twice, and getting it into the bam before night. 

 Hay should be thoroughly cured, and still be as fresh as possible. 

 Clover requires a different process — I tuni out as in timotby, cure 

 as much as possible the first day, cock it up at night in tall, 

 slim cocks, and let it remain so two or three days till it is nearly 

 cured, then open it to the air and get it in. This process of cu- 

 ring preserves all the heads, leares, and most of the juice of the 

 hay. 



There is no difficulty in keeping sheep well upon such hay, 

 properly fed out. I feed my sheep three times a day with hay 

 and twice with straw and chaff, watering t^vice daily. 



