174 __ CQNKEY'S STOCK BOOK 



FENCING In summer make sure that you have the farm well fenced. 

 Fencing is necessary because sheep don't get on well with 

 other farm animals, and should never come in contact with hogs in par- 

 ticular. Use woven wire, not barbed. Barbed wire damages the fleece 

 and frequently wounds the animals, making them more liable to infection. 

 Besides, barbed wire doesn't keep out dogs. What you want is a dog- 

 proof fence the better returns at lambing season will pay for it time and 

 time over. Dogs run and chase the sheep, and the flock frets off its 

 gains in fleece and flesh fast as you can put it on. You don't always 

 know when this is going on. Watch the dogs at night. Sheep never bleat 

 out their troubles except in hunger or loneliness. You might never know 

 the dogs were chasing and running them, but up and down, up and down, 

 all night long they may go, frightened and wounded, but fleeing in silence. 

 Breeding ewes badly frightened rarely ever recover entirely. 



KEEPS Another reason fencing pays for itself, is because you 



PASTURE FRESH can do with less acreage; always keeping some pas- 

 ture untouched for lambs at weaning. Change of 



pasture is good for sheep. If you have to do with one pasture, then divide 

 that, letting the sheep graze two weeks in each half. This keeps it fairly 

 fresh, whereas the other way the flinty hoofs would soon pound out every 

 living blade. More fencing and better will in time lead to more sheep in 

 the country and better. At present in the leading agricultural states of 

 the United States there are not over 25 sheep to each 1000 acres. Great 

 Britain has 300 to every square mile. No wonder the farm economists are 

 preaching more sheep to American farmers. 



MORE SHEEP! Even with intensive farming you can give the sheep 

 some show of range. Utilize the fence corners. Let 



them into the weed lot and brush lot. They will make good mutton, and 

 in the meantime help you to clear the land. Let them into the stubble field, 

 where they can pick up the scattered grain that would otherwise go to 

 waste. Every little helps in the problem of thrifty farming. Sheep con- 

 sume classes of feed that other livestock neglect entirely. The sheep is a 

 natural optimist and will pick up a plunk of wood or bit of bark, chew it 

 with relish and say grace for it. 



A sheep never dies in debt to its owner says the wise old proverb! 

 Go to it, sheepless farmers! 



