ALFALFA FOR SHEEP. 893 
Grazing Sheep on Alfalfa.—tn another place ref- 
erence is made to this practice and it is told how 
that alfalfa pastures destined to be fed off by sheep 
should have grasses mixed through them, as a pre- 
ventive of bloat. The secret of successful grazing 
of sheep on alfalfa seems to lie in following of a few 
well defined rules. 
First, the alfalfa ought to be fairly well grown. 
It is much better if it is near the blooming stage 
when they are turned into it. It is all wrong to 
turn them in the field in early spring, letting them 
gnaw off the buds from the crowns as they start to 
grow. That is a practice bad for the alfalfa and not 
very helpful to the sheep. 
Second, the sheep should be filled up full on green 
feed before being turned in to the alfalfa. If in ad- 
dition they are given some dry grain, provided they 
are accustomed to this, all the better. They should 
be turned in at about 10 or 11 o’clock in the morn- 
ing of a sunny day. 
Third, they should have salt before them at all 
times. It is thought that it is better to mix with 
this salt air-slaked lime, about two parts of lime to 
one of salt. I have not tested this but it has the 
weight of good authority. 
Finally, once introduced to alfalfa the sheep 
should not again be taken off of it, neither by night 
nor by day, nor in rain nor dew nor at any time till 
they are taken off for good. And when they are 
taken off and it is desired to introduce them again 
