36 



ble food to the animals ; light and thin soils are considerably ma- 

 nured, and rendered, by the pressure of their hoofs, a more firm 

 and compact texture." " One of the most successful cultivators 

 of rye I ever knew," says the writer, " habitually allowed his 

 sheep to range upon the crop until the first of June." 



We did not intend to go into the subject of the proper food fur 

 sheep. The opinion of another, who is better qualified to pro- 

 nounce one, has been presented, because the raising of rye is very 

 general, and the practice alluded to is worthy of consideration and 

 experiment. Pasturing in summer, and a mixed diet of hay, 

 roots and grain in Avinter, is well known to be the general food of 

 the sheep. 



The census of 1850 represents the number of sheep in the 

 country, ;to be nearly twenty-two millions, and their value, at the 

 average price of two dollars each, nearly forty-four millions of 

 dollars. Of this number, Massachusetts, (having fallen off nearly 

 fifty per cent, within the ten preceding years,) furnished less than 

 two hundred thousand ; and Norfolk County only five hundred 

 and eighty, fewer than any other county in the State, except Suf- 

 folk. And from the best information we can obtain, there are 

 not, at the present time, three hundred sheep in the County. 



The causes of this marked change in the sheep husbandry of 

 the State and the County may be attributed, by different persons, 

 to various circumstances ; but the fact and its consequences are 

 patent to all. If the opinion be capable of proof that an equal 

 number of sheep and cows can be kept on the same farm that now 

 feeds only cows, — or even but half the number of sheep, — it is 

 plain that an important addition might be made to the aggregate 

 Avealth of the County and to the yearly income of every farmer. 

 For there are at this moment not less than ten thousand cows fed 

 on our pastures and in our barns. 



But without enlarging upon a topic which commends itself to 

 the consideration of farmers here, and which is receiving much 

 attention elsewhere, we take pleasure in presenting the views of 

 one of the most intelligent members of this Society, whose ojjin- 

 ions, on all matters relating to farm stock, are universally regard- 

 ed as of the highest value. 



Sanford Howard, Esq., thus writes : — 



" Boston, Nov. 19, 1859. 



" Rev. C. C. Sewall: Dear Sir, — I submit a few suggestions 

 in regard to a branch of husbandry, which it seems to me has not 

 received that attention in the County of Norfolk its importance 

 demands, viz : The kecpimj of Sliecp. 



" I am aware that the wants of the community require a cer- 

 tain number of horses, oxen and cows ; but any surplus ol" grass 



