APPENDIX. 415 



will begin to spring, and enable the ewes to fumisli an abundant 

 supply of milk. The time here mentioned is applicable to this 

 section of country ; the most suitable period in other places must 

 depend on the climate in some measure. Whenever the ewes can 

 have a flush of grass they will do well ; the deficiency of pasture, 

 however, may be supplied with a good rj^e-field, which will be 

 rather earlier, and no danger need be apprehended in turning evv^es 

 upon rye, as they will not scour as other sheep ; the nourishment 

 appears to be secreted in milk. 



Our foddering season here lasts from five to six months, but not 

 more than three or four of bad weather, during which time we 

 feed on hay, oats, com and com fodder. Sheep should have just 

 what hay they ^\dll eat up clean ; and the ewes and weaker ones 

 be provided with a bushel of oats per hundred daily, or half that 

 quantity of com; in bad weather it is best to fodder three times a 

 day. The less gi'ain, however, they have the better, provided 

 they can be kept in good order, which alone can be done by the 

 use of roots, or an extensive range, w^hich has been permitted to 

 grow up during the summer, which of all others is the best mode 

 of keeping (if the owner has extensive lands) ; under these cir- 

 cumstances, sheep will require but little care. Those who adopt 

 this course should have fields of blue grass, as it is less liable to be 

 affected with frost than any other, and one of the best for 

 pasturage. 



Those who feed during the winter on dry food, should be care- 

 ful to see that their stock has plenty of water ; the idea that sheep 

 will do without it is absurd, except when upon soft grass in the 

 summer. Potatoes are excellent to counteract the binding effect 

 of dry food, but are troublesome to feed where the flocks are large ; 

 when given, they should be washed and cut up in small pieces. 



As to the use of salt, my plan is to salt two or three times a 

 week in the summer, more frequently in wet weather than in dry, 

 and generally on the ground. I do not salt my hay, though some 

 of our wool-growers speak well of it ; my stock is supplied with it 

 regularly during winter, and salt is very essential to health. 



You ask, what kind of pasturage is best ? My experience has 

 led me to believe that wood-land range is best. For many years, 

 I have been accustomed to graze my flock on the mountains, 

 where it is all covered with timber and underbrush, and whenever 

 they have had sufficient scope, have done well ; and my opinion 

 is, that it has greatly contributed to their health. [This is to be 

 attributed to the variety of herbage they obtained.] Nothing 

 more conduces to the health of sheep than frequent change of pas- 

 ture ; without it they will not thrive. 



[Mr. Ewing remarks that sheep are little subject to disease in 

 his section.] 



Another and important matter wnth the wool-grower, is the 

 preparation of wool for market. The mode I have adopted in 

 washing, is to drive the sheep across some water that will s%vim 



