SHEEP. 



flock is folded on old layers for rye, till the end of Auguft, 

 when the ewes intended for breeding are put to good pallure 

 till the tups are let in. But in 1802, the tups now put to 

 the ewes about a week later, and the lambs not weaned till 

 the latter end of June. Provifion this year, 100 acres of 

 turnips, 30 cole, 30 rye, for 25 fcore breeding ewes, 15 

 fcore hoggits, 20 tups, 10 fcore fatting ftock ; 51 fcore 

 in all. 



Turnips, as a holding-out winter food for Iheep, are unquef- 

 tioiiably excellent, particularly when not given in too large 

 quantities, and with fome fort of dry food with them, as 

 fainfoin hay in this feafon, common hay, cut pea, bean, or 

 wheat-ftraw. There is alfo faid to be an advantage in having 

 them drawn one or two days before they are ufed, in fome 

 diftrifts, and even in having thcni ftacked. But potatoes are 

 thought a much better food than turnips in other parts where 

 fheep are a great object, as being more fully and regularly to 

 be depended on, and as preventing the difeafes to which the 

 animals are liable in a more effeftual manner. The Swedifh 

 turnip come into ufe the latett, as in the early fpring. 



It is ftated in the Corrected Agricultural Report of the 

 County of Suflex, that general Murray fed 5000 fheep with 

 potatoes and hay, 1651 of his breeding ewes ate 51 bulhels 

 every day, giving a quart to each ; and which, for 120 days, 

 is 6l2obufhcls: while the Norfolk Itock-farmer provides 

 for720iheep, 80 acres of turnips, 16 tons of hay, 20 acres 

 of rye. The following is the coraparifon of the value, &c. 

 of the provifion. 



It is faid, that if 720 iheep require 80 acres of turnips, 

 2240, the upland flock at general Murray's, will require 

 248 acres of turnips ; but they have only 50. That if 720 

 flieep require 16 tons of hay, or 10 acres, 2240 (hould re- 

 quire 49; initead of which they have 120, which is 71 

 furplus, or, at one load and an half the acre, 48 acres. And 

 that, if 720 (heep require 20 acres of rye, 2240 fhould re- 

 quire 62, inllead of wliich they have none at all. 



Winter food of 2240 fheep, as provided for in Norfolk. 



Expences. Norfolk. 



Turnips 

 Hay - 

 Rye - 

 Potatoes 



Acres. 



248 



10 



62 



O 



320 



Winter food of 2240 (heep, as provided for in SufTex. 



Turnips 

 Hay - 

 Rye - 



Potatoes 



Acres. 



50 



80 



O 



20 



150 



Value of crop», as applicable to each county, without 

 regard to the expences. 



Turnips 

 Hay - 

 Rye - 

 Fotatoeg 



£ ,. d. 

 200 

 500 

 o 10 o 

 400 



Turnips 

 Hay 

 Rye 

 Potatoes 



Expences. SufTex. 



Turnips 

 Hay 

 Rye 

 Potatoes 



£ 

 496 



20 



o 

 547 



£ ■ 



100 



160 



o 



80 



340 



Which is, it is faid, a difference of 63 ptr cent. Tliis vaft 

 difference is to be attributed, it is fuppofed, in a great 

 meafure, to the dilfinclion between the breeds of the flocks, 

 as one being the Norfolk, and the otlier the South Down, 

 as all the circumflances are in favour of it ; but it may be 

 partly owing to potatoes being a cheaper food than turnips. 

 As t0 the feeding of fheep with potatoes, however, it is, 

 though afcertained on the above farm on a very large fcale, 

 a more difputed and doubtful circumftance ; and for this rea- 

 fon, they are allowanced, ilinted, or limited in their con- 

 fumption, which is not the cafe with turnips: thefe, on the 

 Norfolk farm, are fed off on the land, and, of courfe, in the 

 greateil plenty. The other accidents and objeftions to 

 which they ai-e conftantly liable, are alfo not to be over- 

 looked : while potatoes are a regular certain crop, and fub- 

 jeft to few accidents or inconveniencies. When thefe cir- 

 cumftances are therefore well confidered, in the pinch of a 

 fevere feafon, it will be readily agreed that the introdudlion 

 of this root, and the proof of its advantage by the above 

 extenfive trial, as a winter and fpring provifion for fheep- 

 ftock, is really important. 



The quantity of a quart every day of this root for each 

 fheep is prob^blv, however, much too fmall, as in fattening 

 them with it in fuitable yards for the pnrpofe, a far greater 

 quantity has been found neceflary. But lean (heep certainly 

 do not require the fame proportion for keeping them as is 

 requiCte in the fattening fyflem, as may be feen below, in 

 fpeaking of that fort of management. 



Cabbages, as a food for fheep, are of great importance 

 and utility in many tltuations, particularly in thofe where 

 the land is fuitable for railing them, though it may not be 

 of the very rich quality. They are of vaft fervice in carry- 

 ing on improvements in fheep hufbandry, and as the means 

 of keeping a greatly increafed ftock, where good manage- 

 ment is followed. 



The artificial grades, fuch as ray-grafs and red clover, 

 are of much confequence as fpring food for (heep ; the firfl 

 is early, and comes in after common turnips, when much 

 wanted. It may be cultivated to advantage when the latter 

 will not fucceed. The clover comes into ufe in this way at 

 a later period, and on llronger defcriptions of land. Many 

 other graiies of this fort, as well as fome of the natural graft 

 kind, might be verj' beneficially grown in this intention, as 

 the cock's-foot in fome cafes, fainfoin, &c. on foils of the 

 calcareous kind, and fome of the poas and alopecurufes, 

 in other circumftances ; by which means earlinefs, quantity, 

 and quality of keep might be fecured. 



Tares, 



