SHEEP ON NEW ENGLAND FARMS. 



19 



allowing them the run of the entire farm, and keeping the ewes 

 on the old pasture until after the lambs have been turned off, when 

 the ewes also are allowed the run of the farm. This practice works 

 out satisfactorily where extra fencing for the sheep is not necessary 

 and where the old pasture affords sufficient feed to keep the breeding 

 stock in good condition until they can be allowed the run of the 

 place. 



A safer practice, which is already being followed by a few of the 

 more successful growers and which is to be highly recommended, is 

 the growing of some forage crop for late summer and early fall pas- 

 ture. Rape makes an excellent crop for this purpose and is one well 

 adapted to New England conditions. To give best results rape 

 should be sown on good land, loam preferred, which is not subject 

 to drought, since the crop often fails in dry seasons. If raised on 

 weedy land the seed should be sown in drills 30 inches apart at the 

 rate of 1 to 1^ pounds per acre and the plants regularly cultivated, 

 while if on land free from weeds, broadcast seeding at the rate of 

 from 2 to 3 pounds per acre gives satisfactory results. The crop 

 can be grown alone or, if on clean land, with another crop such as 

 oats or rye or following a crop of corn (see fig. 4), in which case 

 the seed is sown broadcast or in drills between the rows of corn at 

 the last cultivation. Where early feed is desired, and the land can 



Fig. 4. — Rape grown in corn to be used for fall pasturage in fattening lambs. The seed 

 was sown in the corn at the last cultivation at the rate of 1 pound per acre. Two 

 acres of such feed will normally fatten 40 lambs. 



