^42 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



sands of tons of screenings available every 

 year. Most of this material is used by the large 

 operators, -who feed from a few to many thou- 

 sands. They generally use sheds provided with 

 self-feeding bins holding many bushels of 

 screenings. The "management" of one of 

 their plants is admirably simple; the lambs 

 are bought, usually of a fairly good' size and 

 quality, dipped and turned into the sheds, 

 where they remain until fat. Usually no hay 

 is fed or required, the bulky nature of the 

 screenings rendering them all sufficient for dis- 

 tending the lamb properly. 



At one time large profits ensued from feed- 

 ing lambs on screenings. The millers, curious- 

 ly enough, became aware of this fact and' began 

 steadily to raise the price of screenings. As 

 lamb prices advanced' so did screenings, till at 

 this writing the mar^n is very small aad- a 

 bad year would wipe it out altogether. 



SHEEP FEEDING IN THE COEN-BELT. 



In the corn-belt proper the conditions for 

 sheep feeding are good so far as abundaace of 

 food is concerned. Com is a staple and must 

 find market. Hay is readily grown, and late 

 experience has shown that wherever there is 

 limestone soil, or sweet and fertile soil, alfalfa 

 may be grown. Bed clover is usually easily 

 grown. Thus there is a ready source of food 

 for sheep. 



The climate is another matter. Sheep want 

 dry footing and dry coats. They can not en- 

 dure our muddy yards and dripping skiesi 



