234 MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP. 



lbs. of Swede turnips each per day, whilst another hundred, 

 in the open air, ate 25 lbs., and at the end of a certain period 

 the former animals weighed each 3 lbs. more than the latter, 

 plainly showing, that, to a certain extent, warmth is a sub- 

 stitute for food. This was also proved by the same noble- 

 man in other experiments, which also illustrated the effect of 

 exercise: — No. 1. Five sheep were fed- in the open air, be- 

 tween the 21st of November and the 1st of December ; they 

 consumed 90 lbs. 6f food per day, the temperature being about 

 44° ; at the end of this time they weighed 2 lbs. less than when 

 first exposed. No. 2. Five sheep were placed under shel- 

 . ter, and allowed to run at a temperature of 49° ; they con- 

 sumed at first 82 lbs., then 70 lbs. per day, and increased in 

 weight 23 lbs. No. 3. Five sheep were placed in the same 

 shed, but not allowed any exercise ; they ate at first 64 lbs., 

 then 58 lbs., and increased in weight 30 lbs. No. 4. Five 

 sheep were kept in the dark, quiet and covered ; they ate 35 

 lbs. per day, and increased in weight 8 lbs. 



" A similar experiment was tried by Mr. Childers, M. P., 

 and is thus related by that gentleman in the Journal of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society of England for that year. He 

 says, ' I last winter enclosed a small yard with posts and 

 rails, and erected a low thatched shed, just large enough to 

 allow a score of sheep to lie down at once. The floor of 

 this shed was boarded with rough slabs, and was raised 

 eighteen inches above the surface of the ground, the boards 

 being placed three-eighths of an inch apart, in order to allow 

 the free passage of water and keep the boards dry, as my 

 great fear was that the sheep might get the foot-rot. 



" ' I then proceeded, on the 1st of January, to draw forty 

 wethers out of my flock of Leicesters, and divided them into 

 two lots, as equal in quality as I could get them. On 

 weighing each sheep separately, I found the weight of one 

 score to be 2565 lbs., and that of the other 2580 lbs, I put 

 the first lot into the yard, and placed the other lot on turnips. 

 The field was a dry sandy soil, well sheltered, and peculiar- 

 ly favorable and healthy for sheep. Each lot had exactly 

 the same quantity of food given them, which was as fol- 

 lows : — 



" ' 1st. As many cut turnips as they could eat, which was 

 about 378 lbs. per day for each lot. 



" ' 2d. Ten pounds of linseed cake, at the rate of half a 

 pound per sheep per day. 



