174 INDIAN CORN CULTURE. 



the corn-fed ones, but this increased weight 

 was chiefly due to increase in yolk. 



Pregnant ewes should not be fed a fattening 

 food like corn. In fact corn is essentially a 

 fattening food for sheep. If this end is not de- 

 sired, then oats, bran, and oil-meal may be fed 

 to better advantage, along with roots or silage. 



Writing some years ago* Mr. F. D. Curtis, 

 then a well know^n student of sheep husbandry, 

 said: 



"No argument can now convince me that corn is a good 

 kind of grain to give sheep to make them grow well or iit 

 them for the lambing season. A very little corn will do 

 mixed with other grain. * * * Corn makes the sheep 

 fevery, and this dries the wool, makes it brittle and checks 

 its growth. It inflames the udders of the ewes and makes a 

 big show of milk, whereas it is actually mere fever, inflam- 

 mation and swelling. It makes the lambs weak and tends to 

 cause the ewes to forsake them, or not to own them." 



It is well to hear both sides of this question, 

 but it is practically true that the grain of corn 

 should not be fed pregnant animals of any 

 class, sheep as well as others, especially to- 

 ward parturition. Bran or oats are much bet- 

 ter at this time. But for promoting the laying 

 on of flesh corn is a superior feed. 



Corn-fodder and silage have not as a rule 

 been largely fed sheep, but their use is becom- 

 ing more and more common. Either one of 

 these coarse foods may be fed sheep with sig- 



* Country Gentleman, Jan. 29, 1885. 



