Sheep Farms and their Equipments 13 



absolutely necessary, and running water is a conven- 

 ience at certain seasons. Artificial supplies are now 

 so easily provided for the short season in which there 

 is not a natural supply available that springs or per- 

 petual streams are not a limiting factor for the would- 

 be flock master. 



Number of sheep to farm. — Not in many instances 

 will it be advisable to stock a farm to its limit with 

 sheep. Under that condition, the parasitic enemies 

 are almost certain to multiply to a damaging extent. 

 Nor is there any particular economy in making a 

 specialty of sheep. They call for no special, expen- 

 sive equipment, nor can the labor expense per head 

 be greatly reduced by keeping large flocks under 

 farm conditions. The smaller the flock, even down 

 to one, the better sheep do. Perhaps one mature 

 sheep per acre of farm should be taken as about the 

 limit, in connection with the horses, cows, pigs, and 

 poultry desired on the average American farm. But 

 I should not advise many to keep sheep to this ex- 

 tent. The small flocks will be found to give the larger 

 per capita return. Perhaps a land investment of fif- 

 teen dollars to furnish pasture for each mature sheep is 

 a safe basis for estimating that part of the equipment. 



Buildings. — The buildings for sheep need not be 

 expensive. Warmth is not important, except for 

 lambs yeaned in the winter. The desirable features 

 in a stable for sheep are that it should shelter them 

 from rains, be dry underfoot, admit the sunlight 



