ON THE FOOD OF SHEEP. 49 



A. It is a variety in the species of cabbage, un- 

 known to botanists ; it was cultivated in small gar- 

 dens, in the commune of Montbard ; it throws out 

 lateral branches, the lowest of which bend quite to 

 the earth, while the rest of the growth is directed up- 

 wards: the part, which touches the earth, takes 

 root, and produces new cabbages, which are perpet- 

 uated from year to year, and which form so gross a 

 mass, that it is necessary to destroy a part of it. It 

 is called choux de bouture, because it is planted in 

 this manner without sowing ; its branches are brok- 

 en off and given to sheep : it does not head, but pro- 

 duces a great many leaves, when it grows in a good 

 soil, well dunged.* 



Q. Is there not fresh food in winter, better than 

 colewort, or cabbages, for sheep ? 



A. Carrots,! (1), parsnips (2), salsifis, or goat's 

 beard (3), chervis, or skirret (4), radishes (5), turnips 

 (6), potatoes (7), topinambours, an inferior species 

 of potatoes (8), are more nourishing than the leaves 

 of cabbages, or colewort ; scarcity, or turnip-rooted 

 cabbages (9), may also be given. 



* This denomination of cabbage, choux de bouture, is uncertain : dif- 

 ferent species of cabbage, even perennial, are perpetuated in the same 

 way. The curly cabbage of the north, Brasslca oleracea sobellica, L. 

 which resists extreme cold, is one of those, which should be preferred 

 for this kind of culture Huzard. 



f (1) Daucus carrota, L. (6) Brassica napus, L. 



(2) Fastinaca savita, L. (7) Solatium tuberosura. 



(3) Tragopogon porrifolium, L. (8) Helianthus tuberosus, 1- 



(4) Sium sisarum, L. (9) Beta cicla altissima, I. 



(5) Brassica rapa, L. 



7 



