SHEEP. 249 



are apt, in their desire to eat them, to draw out filaments 

 c f wool and swallo v them, from which these balls are 

 formed." 



One writer says that when fodder is given to sheep in 

 the open yard, or when the lambs have access to hay in 

 the barn at all times, he has not known them to be affected 

 in this way. On feeding his sheep from racks, and not 

 allowing his lambs to range in the barn, and eat hay at 

 pleasure, the 'ambs could get hay only while the sheep 

 were eating, one or two hours a day; and in the season he 

 adopted this plan, a great many died, having balls of 

 wool in their stomachs. Being anxious to get something 

 to chew, they might take the loose locks of wool that are 

 hanging about their mothers. 



Another supposes that after the lamb is a few weeks 

 old, he has not milk enough, and eating freely of food 

 too hearty for his tender age, an acescent state of the 

 stomach is produced, which requires absorbents to neu- 

 tralize the acid, and they may take the wool as most 

 convenient. With these conjectures, we leave the sub- 

 ject, not having facts at our disposal as to the cause. 



BROWSE FOR SHEEP. 



Browse of various kinds is good for sheep in winter 

 They are very fond of it, as it affords a change, being a 

 green food. The browse of oak, and other powerful 

 astringents should be avoided. The browse of ever- 

 greens is used, not only as a wholesome food, but for its 

 medicinal qualities, particularly pine and hemlock. And 

 in some cases it is used to considerable extent as a sub- 

 stitute for other fodder. Pine and hemlock are best, but 

 spruce and fir are also good. 



Some farmers have nearly supported their sheep on 

 browse for months, when hay was scarce. J. Whitman, 

 of Turner, Maine, has used pine and hemlock for his 

 sheep foi more than forty years, and he has known no 

 injury frrni them, but a benefit, and a saving of hay. 

 He says that hemlock does not injure sheep with lambs. 

 He pre i rs pine and hemlock boughs to spruce and fir 



