HURDLE-FEEDING. 413 



to the owners of half a million of farms. If we suppose 

 New York, with its 20,000,000 of acres in grass or culti- 

 vated crops, to maintain one sheep to four acres, it would 

 give her 5,000,000 of sheep a very moderate number to be 

 carried upon her acres, yet 3.3 times the number she now 

 keeps. This would give her an average of 25 sheep to each 

 100 acres of improved land a number that might easily 

 be kept without disturbing her other industries. A small 

 flock of sheep will bring into use neglected spots and fence 

 corners, will turn to account the gleanings of grain fields, 

 and consume many things not so well relished by cattle. 



HURDLE-FEEDIN Q. 



The question of fences, which has come to involve a very 

 large expense, and would be an insuperable obstacle to 

 sheep-keeping, if farms were to be fenced into small fields 

 in order to use all the neglected forage, is solved by the 

 use of hurdles. Movable hurdle fence is quite necessary to 

 the proper use of all the fields upon a farm for any class of 

 stock, and especially for sheep. Fifty to 100 rods of 

 movable fence will be of the greatest service upon all 

 farms. By using the hurdle, any piece of aftergrowth or 

 stubble may be inclosed in a few minutes, and the sheep or 

 other animals confined, and the hurdles may be moved 

 over the field till every part of it is eaten and turned into 

 flesh and wool. This will have a double advantage 

 turning the green food into money and killing weeds. 

 The portable or rolling hurdle is most convenient, as it is 

 placed so quickly, and rolled along day by day to supply 

 fresh herbage ; and its additional cost is but slight. The 

 celebrated Mechi used an iron hurdle, placed upon wheels, 

 which he recommended highly because of its great 

 durability, having been in use upon his farm for more 

 than thirty years. His hurdle was too expensive for our 

 ideas of economy, being $6.50 per rod. Yet he seemed to 



