416 Comparative Fattening Qualities of Sheep. 



nips thrown down to them in the pasture ; and they were thus kept 

 until the exact experiment was commenced. 



As the soil on the farm at Rothamsted is heavy and not well 

 adapted to carry stock in winter, it was decided that the experi- 

 ment should be made under cover. Accordingly, on November 

 7th, the whole of the animals having been previously weighed 

 and marked on that day, 40 of the more uniform of each breed 

 were placed side by side upon rafters in a long shed. The ten 

 remaining of each were sent into the field with the rest of the 

 fattening flock. 



With regard to the selection of the sheep as above described, it 

 may be remarked that many farmers and sheep-breeders examined 

 them during the progress of the experiment, and expressed them- 

 selves fully satisfied with the character and quality of both the 

 lots, but more especially with the Sussex sheep, which were 

 particularly pure and uniform. 



The dry foods selected were oil- cake and clover chaff; and 

 these were given to the two lots respectively in fixed quantity, 

 exactly apportioned to the average weight of the animals. Thus 

 the 40 Hampshires, whose average weight was 113| lbs., had 

 40 lbs. of oil-cake and 40 lbs. of clover chaff per day ; or 1 lb. of 

 each of the two foods per head per day. But the 40 Sussex 

 sheep, whose average weight was only 88 lbs., had 32 lbs. of oil- 

 cake and 32 lbs. of clover per day; or rather more than fib. of 

 each food per head per day. 



Swedes were also given to both lots, as many as the animals 

 chose to eat, but from stocks which had been previously 

 weighed. 



During the progress of the experiment the animals were 

 weighed every 4 weeks, and always, as nearly as possible, at the 

 same period of the day, the hour chosen being from 10 to 12 a.m., 

 before the second feed in the day, as it was considered that at that 

 time the weights would probably be less affected by irregularity 

 in the contents of the stomachs and intestines of the animals than 

 at any other. 



In Tables 1. and IL, which follow, are given : — 



The weight of each sheep when put up, Nov. 7th, 1850. 



The increase of each animal between each period of weighing, 

 and the weight of wool, shorn March 27th, 1851. 



The total increase of each animal (inclusive of wool). 



Their final weights, both inclusive and exclusive of wool. 



Also, in the r2th column of each Table, the average weekly 

 gain of each animal ; and at the foot of the Tables the total gain 

 of the 40 sheep between each period of weighing, and the average 

 weekly gain, &c., per head of the 40 animals during the same 

 period. 



