CHAPTER II 



SHEEP AS SCAVENGERS AND IMPROVERS OF 

 CROP YIELDS 



In Chapter II the discussion dwells upon the follow- 

 ing: (i) Sheep as weed destroyers; (2) Freeing land 

 from weeds by sheep ; (3) Sheep as destroyers of brush ; 



(4) Improving grain yields through grazing with sheep ; 



(5) Improving the stand of grass by such grazing; (6) 

 Improving clover seed yields through grazing; (7) Why 

 sheep should be kept on nearly all farms ; and (8) Sheep 

 and fresh meat on the farm. The great service which 

 they may render in all these ways is too little understood. 

 Their ability to render it is largely the outcome of that 

 instinct which prompts them to feed upon a wide variety 

 of food. They have been known to winter upon seaweed, 

 even in stern maritime climates, and in these they have 

 in some instances been fed considerable quantities of 

 dried fish. 



Sheep as weed destroyers — The value of sheep as 

 weed destroyers has seldom been taken at its true worth. 

 The varieties of weeds that sheep will not consume are 

 few, providing they may have access to them when they 

 are young, and when consuming the weeds they also 

 transform them into useful mutton. The weeds thus con- 

 sumed that taint mutton offensively are few indeed. 

 Among the number are pennycress (Thalaspi arvense) 

 and the wild onion (Allium vineale). 



Among the common noxious weeds that they do not care 

 to eat, are the mullein and the burdock, and such forms of 

 weed life as are protected by spines or prickles. But they will 

 frequently consume weeds thus protected when they are 

 young, as in the case of the Russian thistle (Salsola Kali, var. 

 tragus). The number of the weeds that they will consume 



