Experiments on the Feeding of Sheep. 
191 
less than the average fall of rain. Both lots lost weight, the 
Hampshires losing the most. In the second month, with com- 
paratively moderate height and range of temperature, but still 
little rain, the Hampshires gained pretty well, but the Sussex 
sheep still lost a little. In the third month, which was not liot, 
but continued dry, both lots lost again. The result was that, 
over the whole thiee months during which the sheep were fed 
upon green clover, as much as they chose to eat, with oilcake in 
jiddition, the eight Hampshires only gained 6 lbs., whilst the 
eight Sussex sheep taken together lost 22 lbs. 
The Cotswolds were fed through the summer and autumn of 1852. 
From April 17 to June 14 they received, besides oilcake (or lentils). 
Lay-chaff and roots. On June 14 they were put upon grass and 
were kept upon it for three months, having the usual allowance, 
according to their Aveight, of oilcake (or lentils) in addition. 
During the first of these three months the temperature was more 
moderate, both in height and range, and the fall of rain was 
rather higher, than in the corresponding month of 1851. Still 
the sheep lost considerably. During the next two months the 
temperature was generally higher than in the other years of 
experiment, but the fall of rain was considerable ; and during 
these two months the 6 Cotswolds so far regained as to reduce 
the loss of weight over the three months to 7 lbs. on the lot of 
sheep. In the next succeeding two months every one of the 
6 sheep gained very considerably. 
It was during the summer and autumn of 1853 that the 
Leicesters, and the two lots of cross-breds, were turned out. 
They had oilcake, hay-chafF, and roots, from April 21 to June 7. 
For two months from June 7 they were fed upon grass, and 
then for about six weeks upon green clover, with oilcake, as 
usual. During the first month upon grass, commencing June 7, 
both the height and range of temperature were lower, and the 
fall of rain was larger, than during the corresponding period 
of the two preceding years. Still the Leicesters lost a little, 
and the cross-breds gained but little. In the next month the 
temperature was comparatively low, but the fall of rain was 
very large, and all three lots lost weight more or less — the cross- 
bred wethers losing the most. During the next or third month, 
with only moderate height and range of temperature, but with 
very little rain succeeding the previous heavy fall, all three lots 
regained considerably. The result was that, taking the whole of 
the three summer months of 1853, during which the temperature 
was generally much lower, and the fall of rain more liberal, than 
in the two other seasons, the Leicesters and cross-breds gave a 
very much better rate of increase than did either the Ham pshire 
or Sussex sheep during the corresponding summer months of 
1851, or the Cotswolds during thoss of 1852. 
