178 THE DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



is essential to economy that no more material 

 should be used to get the desired product of it, than is 

 actually needed for it. Otherwise there is waste, and this 

 is just so much loss. The result of all this is that in the 

 feeding of our domestic animals, our horses, cows, pigs, 

 and most of all, sheep, the modern principles of scientific 

 feeding is the rule or must be so if the most profit is to be 

 made. 



In feeding sheep there are three things to consider. First, 

 the animal itself is to be fed on the best kinds of food, those 

 by which the animal may grow in the best, most healthful 

 and cheapest manner; second, those by which the best 

 lamb is produced; aaid third, by which the most and the 

 best fleece is insured. Let us consider the last item at this 

 time. 



Every product of nature is made up of certain elementary 

 substances, and these are to be considered as the basis and 

 materials for the special product. If the farmer wants to 

 grow wheat or potatoes, or other crops, he studies the kind 

 of materials which the soil must contain for the best product 

 of each crop. If he is feeding caws, he uses the best foods 

 for making the most and richest milk. If he is feeding 

 beef cattle, he uses the most nutritious foods for the product 

 of flesh and fat; and if he is feeding sheep, he makes use 

 of the foods that make the most growth of flesh and wool, 

 for wool is as much a desirable and profitable product as 

 the mutton is. 



Now wool is a specially constituted product, and its 

 special character is to be considered in the feeding of the 

 sheep. It is made up of much the same elements as flesh 

 or skin is. But at this time it is only necessary to notice 

 two of these special elements, and these are the nitrogen 

 and sulphur which wool contains. These are nearly sixteen 

 per cent, or one-sixth, of nitrogen; and nearly four per cent 

 of sulphur. In burning wool or hair we experience a spe- 

 cially strong and acrid odor. This is the result of the com- 

 bustion of the sulphur, and the strength of the odor shows 

 the considerable quantity of this element in the 

 wool. There is no appreciable difference between the 

 wool of a sheep and the hair of an amimal; both are a kind 

 of hair. But the sheep yields a much greater quantity of 



