CHAPTER XIV. 



SOILING SHEEP. 



The advantages of soiling sheep are becoming 

 more apparent in this country every year. " The 

 flesh and wool of sheep," says Mr. Stewart, "are but 

 the products of the soil, and contain nothing but 

 what has existed in the plants which the sheep have 

 consumed." No farmer who has ever bred sheep 

 for mutton needs to be told of the necessity of sup- 

 plying an abundance of succulent food for his lambs, 

 until they have reached maturity. A lamb that has 

 been stunted for want of proper nourishment or 

 from sickness can never be fattened as profitably 

 as one whose growth has never been checked. The 

 English farmers not only know this, but take every 

 precaution to prevent it, and to this it is mainly due 

 that they are enabled to export to this country, 

 yearly, many thousand dollars' worth of sheep, while 

 American farmers might breed as good at home if 

 they would feed as well. 



But in regard to sheep we have yet much to learn. 

 I mean we have to put into practice what we already 

 know, but for some reason fail to appreciate its im- 

 portance. There is not a farmer in America who 

 will not say that it costs no more to keep a good 



