SUMMER MANAGEMENT. 201 



has arisen from placing them on too low keep — the locality 

 was not adapted to them, because the soil was not capable 

 of furnishing that rich and abundant herbage requisite to 

 support ani fatten such large animals. He was not aware 

 that the profits of the English breeds must be looked to from 

 the carcase and not sofciuch from the fleece ; and therefore, 

 to bring aroUnd quick and remunerating returns, that they 

 required large and continuous supplies of succulent food 

 from the start. One of the grand improvements efiected in 

 the English mutton sheep, is an earlier maturity, in order 

 that they may be cleared off to the butcher in the shortest 

 time ; but to accomplish this the English breeder takes spe- 

 •cial care-not to place the famed Leicester, Cotswold, or Lin- 

 coln breeds on the stinted feed of mountain sides, but in such 

 situations where ample provision is found for full feed and 

 quick fattening. In such localities as are near to a market 

 where fine.fatted mutton is appreciated and paid for accord- 

 ingly, the heavy British breeds will be found profitable ; un- 

 der other circumstances, the Merino, Saxon, and grades of 

 these varieties will bring the largest returns of profit to the 

 American sheep culturist. 



Connected with the general observations of the present 

 chapter, is the consideration of the various grasses, with the 

 amount of nutriment they respectively afford. The following 

 summary was compiled by Mr. Youatt from Sir Humphrey 

 Davy's distinguished work on Agricultural Chemistry. Their 

 times of flowering differ not essentially in this country and 

 England^ and in this order they will be mentioned. 



The SwEET-scENTAD Vernal Grass {AntAoxanthum 

 odoratum) is found on almost every kind of- soil, and is a 

 true, permanent pasture grass for general purposes, and for 

 early appearance ; but it is not liked by sheep, who will 

 scarcely touch it if there are any white clover or meadow 

 foxtail. 



Meadow Foxtail Gkass {Alopeeurus pratensis). This 

 flowers about May 20, and the seeds are ripened about June 

 24. On a clayey, loamy soil, at the time of flowering, will 

 yield about one and a half tons to the acre (in this country), 

 every half poimd yielding 11-4 drachms of nutritive matter. 

 The aftermath affords 2 drachms of nutritive matter from 

 every half pound. Sheep are fond of this grass during May 

 and June. 



Short Blue Meadow Grass (Poa Ccsrulea), common 



