522 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK iv 



ing off, by means of wood or iron hurdles, a certain breadth of the field 

 containing as much space as will feed the sheep for a certain time, 

 usually a week. The strip, if it may be so called, which is divided from 

 the rest of the field by the two rows of hurdles (one now is only needed 

 when the sides next the fences are being eaten off), should run in 

 the direction of the length of the field or the line of 



r~<i r~ furrows, so that the plough can turn in the manure or 



dung of the animals as fast as each piece or strip of 

 land is fairly eaten off. If the field is long, or the usual 

 or average length, one end only, &sbfg' d, of the strip 

 is staked or hurdled off, say the south fence, as 6 d e. 

 When that part is eaten off, the stakes crossing the 

 strip at/#' are moved farther up, say to g h, and the 

 sheep eat off the fresh turnips on the space of f g' h g. 

 When that part is eaten off, the hurdles g h are removed, 

 and the part g a c h left to be eaten off. In this rough 

 type diagram (fig. 133A), a b, c d are the hurdles bd e 

 the south, and i a c the north fence of the field. In all 

 movements of the cross land hurdles, as/#', g h, the 

 back pieces, technically termed the back feeds, or fall- 

 backs, &sbfg' d, are thrown in to the new pieces, as/# 



Fig. 133A. h g' so that the sheep at the first removal of the fence 

 f g have got the whole b g h d to roam over. 



In these circumstances the plan of grazing the root-crop in the field 

 is found to answer because very few sheep are fattened off, but most 

 of the sheep which are wintered are kept in store condition as ewes 

 or ewe tegs. If fattening sheep are made to gnaw their roots the}' 

 should be allowed the first run in the pens so that they may feed easily, 

 after which the ewes or other store sheep should be made to clear up. 

 The roots should be hacked up as soon as the fattening sheep are moved 

 on, otherwise the shells or cups of the roots will be trodden in in wet 

 weather, and so lost. When sheep are on roots care should be taken 

 that the ground is fed evenly, so that there is an even distribution of 

 manure. The corn and root troughs should be frequently moved. If 

 the weather is wet, a good fall-back should be allowed : that is, the 

 back hurdles should be left for some distance behind so that the sheep 

 will not be cooped in on a small space, but will be able to draw back 

 and select a drier lair. It is better for the land that this should be 

 done, as it prevents puddling, the effects of which are very difficult to 

 overcome when preparing the spring seed-beds. 



Turnips given in enclosures or sheds should be sliced, as also should 

 cabbages. Cut clover-chaff and hay may also be used with advantage, 

 and should be fed with the cake or corn. The sheep-cribs and racks 

 in common use are too well known to require description. Whatever 

 system of management may be adopted by the farmer, whether at home 

 or in the field, he ought on no account to withhold salt from his sheep ; 

 for not only does a moderate continual use of that article contribute to 

 the digestion of succulent vegetables, and, of course, preserve the 

 animals in constant health, but it is also considered to improve both the 



