SHEEP. 93 



riety of circumstances would influence this point ; such as the 

 character of the pasturage, and the proportion of the same 

 fitted and desirahle for tillage. 



" 2. Sheep enrich land by the manufacture of considerable 

 quantities of excellent manure. A farmer of long experience 

 in sheep husbandry, thought there was no manure so fertilizing 

 as that of sheep, and (of which there is no doubt) that none 

 dropped by the animal upon the land suffered so little by waste 

 from exposure. A German agricultural writer has calculated 

 that the droppings from one thousand sheep during a single 

 night would manure an acre sufficiently for any crop. By using 

 a portable fence, and moving the same from time to time, a 

 farmer might manure a distant field with sheep at less expense 

 than that of carting and spreading barn manure. 



"The value of sheep to the farmer is much enhanced by due 

 attention to their wants. Large flocks kept together are sel- 

 dom profitable, while small assorted flocks always pay well, if 

 fed as they should be. To get good fleeces of wool, and large, 

 healthy lambs from poor neglected sheep, is impossible. It is 

 also true that the expense of keeping is often least with the 

 flocks that are always kept in good condition. The eye and 

 thought of the owner are far more necessary than large and 

 irregular supplies of fodder. Division of the flock and shelter, 

 with straw and a little grain, will bring them through to spring 

 pastures in far better order than if kept together, with double 

 rations of hay, one half of which is wasted by the stronger 

 animals, while the weak of the flock pick up but a scanty liv- 

 ing, and oftentimes fail to get that through the whole winter. 



" We commend this subject to the consideration of our corre- 

 spondents ; it is one which needs greater attention on the part 

 of the farming public." 



VI. AFFECTION OF THE EWE. 



The Ettrick Shepherd tells the following story of the con- 

 tinued affection of the ewe for her dead lamb : 



" One of the two years while I remained on the farm at Wil- 



