SHEEP. 87 



daily foddering would suffice in others, a light foddering 

 placed iu the depository racks once in two days would answer 

 the purpose. In the steady cold weather of the North, the 

 shepherd readily learns to determine about how much hay will 

 be consumed before the next foddering time ; and this is the 

 amount which should, as near as may be, be regularly fed. In 

 feeding grain or roots there is no difficulty in preserving entire 

 regularity, and it is vastly more important than in feeding hay. 

 Of the latter a sheep wih 1 not over-eat and surfeit itself; of the 

 former it will. And if not fed grain to the point of surfeiting, 

 but still over-plenteously, it will expect a like amount at the 

 next feeding, and failing to receive it will pine for it and manifest 

 uneasiness. The effect of such irregularity on the stomach and 

 system of any animal is bad, and the sheep suffers more from 

 it than any other animal. I would much rather that my flock 

 receive no grain at all than that they should receive it without 

 regard to regularity in the amount. The shepherd should be re- 

 quired to measure out the grain to sheep in all instances instead 

 of guessing it out and to measure it to each separate flock. 



" In the North the grass often gets very short by the 10th or 

 15th of November, and it has lost much of its nutritiousness 

 from repeated freezing and thawing. At this time, though no 

 snow has yet fallen, it is best to give the sheep a light, daily 

 foddering of bright hay, or a few oats in the bundle. Given 

 thus for the ten or twelve days which precede the covering of 

 the ground by snow, fodder pays for itself as well as at any 

 other time during the year." 



4. Salt. " Salt, in my judgment, is indispensable to the health 

 of sheep, particularly in the summer ; and I know not a flock- 

 master among the hundreds, nay, thousands with whom I am 

 acquainted, who differs with me in this opinion. It is common 

 to give it once a week while the sheep are at grass. 



"It is still better to give them free access to salt at all times 

 by keeping it in a covered box, open on one side." 



5. Water. " Water is not indispensable in the summer pas- 

 tures, the dews and the succulence of the feed answering as a 



