186 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



kindly, so as to create a sympathy and confi- 

 dence between flock and flock master. They 

 should have a variety of nutritious food, be fed 

 sparingly not wastefuUy, and what they do not 

 eat, regularly taken away. Meadow hay, or 

 poor hay of any kind, is the most expensive 

 fodder the master can use, excepting occasion- 

 ally as a change, and never any longer than 

 while they eat it greedily. Fleeces of young 

 ewes that have been badly kept will — after a 

 winter of good treatment — gain a pound and 

 a half, and the wool will be worth five or six 

 cents more per pound than their former fleeces. 

 Poor feed will not supply a suflicient amount 

 of heat in cold weather to keep the body warm, 

 so that nature comes to the assistance of the 

 poor animal and starts fine fibres around the 

 bottom of the wool, sometimes "cotting" it, as 

 it is called, and at others producing what is 

 termed "mess-bottomed" wool. In either case 

 it is a serious injury to the wool, for the short 

 fibres arc of no use, while the true staple is 

 short and weak. 



Many experiments have been made with re- 

 gard to the elTects of temperature ujjon sheep. 

 One by Lord Ducie says, — 100 sheep were 

 placed in a shed and ate 20 lbs. of Swedish 

 turnips each, per day, whilst another 100 in the 

 open air ate 25 lbs. each, and at that rate for 

 a certain period. The former weighed 30 lbs. 

 more than the latter, plainly showing that, to a 

 certain extent, warmth is an equivalent for 

 food. The wool on those that gained would 

 be heaviest and superior in quality to that of 

 the others. He also tried the following exper- 

 iments : 



Five sheep were fed in the open air between 

 the 21st of November and 1st of December. 

 They consumed 90 lbs. of food per day, the 

 temperature being 46 degrees. At the end of 

 this time they weighed 2 lbs. less than when 

 first exposed. Another 5 sheep were placed 

 imder shelter and allowed to run — the temper- 

 ature being 49 degrees. They consumed at 

 first 82 lbs., then 70 lbs. per day, and increased 

 in weight 32 lbs. Another 5 were placed in 

 the same shed but not allowed any exercise. 

 They ate at first 64 lbs. and increased 30 lbs. 

 Another b were kept in the dark, quiet and 

 covered, and ate 35 lbs. and increased 8 lbs 



The deprivation of exercise is unnatural, and 

 C )uld not result favorably in the long run. 

 As with other animals, it may be well for a 



short period, during the process of fattening, 

 but always, probably, at the risk of the health 

 of the animal. Sheep not only need exercise, 

 hut perfect ventilation in their apartments and 

 never should be in crowded numbers. These 

 experiments teach us that a moderate temper- 

 ature, moderate feeding and exercise, pure air, 

 plenty of light and water, with salt always at 

 their command, are what is required to pro- 

 duce good wool, good lambs, and good mutton 

 at small cost. \Vlien these essentials are faith- 

 fully observed, there will be little danger of 

 disease affecting the flocks. 



LETTER FROM THE FARM. 

 Short Horn Durham Cows, Aldekneys, &c. 



Gents. — The beautiful fields of last summer 

 and autumn having put on their garment of 

 white, to shelter themselves from rude winds 

 and pinching frosts, — and to gather fresh 

 sources of supply for the work they will be 

 called on to commence in a few weeks more, — 

 I have been compelled to seek instruction in- 

 doors. Sometimes this has been among books, 

 then in social intercourse with thinking and 

 observing minds, and again in looking upon 

 the condition of those faithful animals who la- 

 bor for us, and without whose aid our agricul- 

 tural j^rosperity would be at an end. 



So, weary of the pen and the books, and 

 caring little for young floods and huge but 

 wasting drifts, I have been about to see how 

 my brother farmers are spending their time, 

 and how their cattle look in their stalls. 



My first call was upon Mr. Charles D. 

 TuTTLE, a young man "just returned from the 

 war," to enter upon the more peaceful pur- 

 suits of a war against weeds and ancient pre- 

 judices. He was one of the first to spi-hig 

 into action when his country called, and was 

 in that memoralile march through 15altimorc, 

 which showed the enemies of our flag that It 

 was still to be triumphant on every rood of our 

 soil. He "fought the good fight," but, fortu- 

 nately, returned to domestic life unharmed. 

 There was still another battle, however, in 

 which his skill was to be tested, — and one 

 dreaded by many a brave fellow with more 

 emotion than when shot and shell are flying, — 

 in which, by judicious flanking and counter- 

 marching, he proved himself equally victori- 

 ous ! And now, on the old homestead, instead 

 of one, there are two young hearts ready to 



