Grow Feeds at Home. 85 



thus allowed to act as scavengers, they will 

 render excellent service in the work of weed 

 extermination, more especially in perma- 

 nent pastures, on private roads, along fence 

 borders, in grain stubble and in corners and 

 waste places generally. In order that this 

 work may be done thoroughly, the pastures 

 should be kept closely eaten from early 

 spring. Many weeds are then so tender and 

 succulent that the sheep will eat them ; 

 whereas, when the weeds are at a more 

 advanced stage of growth, they will persis- 

 tently reject them, unless they are impelled 

 to feed upon them through the sheer force 

 of hunger ; and when weeds are thus kept 

 closely cropped, the hand cutting or hand 

 spudding that may be required to complete 

 their destruction is greatly reduced. There 

 is probably no way in which weeds can so 

 profitably be used as by turning them into 

 mutton. 



II. Grozv food supplies at home. To aim 

 to grow food supplies at home, rather than 

 to purchase them elsewhere, is a safe rule 

 in farming, viewed from the standpoint of 

 economy, even when the question of weeds 

 is not taken into account at all. It is a rule 

 that is much affected bv considerations of 



