280 Agricultural Chemistry — Sheep- Feeding and Manure. 



further serve both as guide and monitor to any who may choose to 

 follow in a field of inquiry at present somewhat new. 



The sheep employed in the experiments were Hampshire 

 Downs, and the selections were made from large flocks, usually 

 nearly 100 being weighed; from these a few animals of nearly 

 equal weight and apparently equal make were taken, and one put 

 into each pen — a second lot being then taken and divided in the 

 same way, and so on — until each pen contained the desired number. 

 It will nevertheless be seen by the results, that the selections and 

 distributions were in some cases far from satisfactory, and that, 

 although five sheep were placed in each pen, the average result of 

 these can by no means be taken as representing unconditionally 

 the relative feeding value of the foods employed. 



In the account which we shall now proceed to give of several 

 separate series of experiments, the order adopted will be, to discuss 

 the whole of the results — first, so far as they relate to the pro- 

 duction of gross increase in live weight — secondly, as to the qualities 

 and composition of the increase obtained — and, thirdly, as to 

 the production of manure. We shall then endeavour to give a 

 summary of the more important facts elicited, and to show the 

 connexion between the conclusions to which they may lead, and 

 those arrived at in our former papers, — concluding with some re- 

 marks on their general application to the details of practical 

 agriculture. 



Experiments with Sheep. — Series I. 



The first series of sheep-experiments was commenced on Ja- 

 nuary 5, 1848, and was continued until April 11, a period of 

 13 weeks and 6 days. There were 4 of the experimental pens, 

 as described above, employed, into each of which 5 animals were 

 placed, their weights at the commencement being as under. 



SERIES I. 



Table 1. — Showing the Weight of Sheep in pounds, when put up, 

 January 5, 1848. 





Numbers of Sheep. 



Pen 1. 



Pen 2. 



Pen 3. 



Pen 4. 







No. 1 . . . 



2 . . . 



3 . . . 



4 . . . 



5 . . . 



lbs. 

 118A 

 112i 

 111 

 110 

 106 



lbs. 

 117i 



m± 



112 2 

 110 

 96 



lbs. 



117 



114 



110£ 



110 



107 



lbs. 

 115 

 114£ 

 112 

 11 OA 

 95 







Total weight per Pen 



558 



548 



558| 



546| 





The sheep were brought from the field, where they had been 

 receiving swedes and hay chaff ; and, with the exception of the 5th 



