332 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 



pasture and will dO' well on it. However, the same 

 truth applies to pasturing horses on alfalfa as ap- 

 plied to other animals — an acre cut and fed to them 

 will go as far as three or more acres pastured. 



When there are mares, foals and idle horses on 

 pasture it is an excellent plan to give them a daily 

 ration of green alfalfa as has been suggested for 

 the cows. 



Alfalfa for Soiling Sheep. — I was struck by the 

 great use made of soiling crops in France. There 

 one would sometimes see a large flock, consisting 

 may be of 2,000 head, all kept during great part of 

 the day in some fine old stone stable or shed, there 

 eating green clovers with the bloom on. And a great 

 part of these clovers would be alfalfa, mixed no 

 doubt somewhat with sainfoin or red clovers. What 

 fine, healthy flocks they were ! " How free from all 

 traces of stomach worms ! It made me feel that we 

 in America know very little yet about keeping sheep. 



The ruin of American flocks usually is the hateful 

 parasite. It gets in its work when sheep are pas- 

 tured for successive years on our old bluegrass pas- 

 tures. When sheep are soiled on alfalfa, or on al- 

 most any cultivated crop for that matter, the para- 

 site can not gain entrance and the animal remains 

 in health. A healthy sheep is pretty sure to be a fat, 

 contented and profitable sheep. The labor of soil- 

 ing sheep is the one objection to the practice. It is 

 well repaid, however, in most instances, since the re- 

 sults are so very good. 



