On the Breeding, Feeding, S)C. of Sheep. 
371 
to try it, as my object has always been to adopt the very best sys- 
tem of management I was acquainted with for my sheep, and not 
to be bigoted to any opinion of my own unless founded upon 
actual experience; neither, on the other hand, do I adopt the 
recommendations of others upon a large scale at first. I selected, 
therefore, only 8 lambs for trial of this highly-recommended me- 
thod of yard-feeding, which were weighed on the 7th of Decem- 
ber, 1839, and put into a yard made in the following manner. 
A small plot of ground sufficient in size for 8 lambs, contiguous 
to my turnip-field where my other lambs were feeding, was en- 
closed around with hurdles, or trays set double and stuffed with 
straw between, not only to shelter them from the winds, but also 
to prevent the lambs from seeing any object that would disturb 
them. On the north side of the yard I had a shed built, opening 
towards the south and enclosed on the other three sides, for them 
to go under in wet and cold weather ; it M as kept perfectly dry, 
being well secured with thatch. I procured some deal boards, which 
were nailed to ledges about 4 or 5 inches deep to keep the boards 
from the ground, and sufficient space (about | of an inch) left be- 
tween them, so that the wet from the lambs might drain through ; 
these were well swept clean daily, and the yard kept sufficiently 
littered. The lambs were fed as usual, three times a day with 
swedes, cut carrots, and clover-chaff. Another lot of 8 lambs, of 
the same breed and about the same weight, were weighed on the 
same day as those put in the yard — viz., on the 7th of December 
— and penned in the field adjoining, which was stubble-land, and 
were fed with the same food exactly, and by the same person as 
thosg in the yard ; being exposed to the weather as sheep gene- 
rally are, except having two or three stuffed hurdles to shelter 
them from the winds. On the 11th of February following both 
lots were weighed again, after being at trial 9 weeks and 3 days, 
the result of which was as follows. 
Experiment, No. 11. 
8 lambs fed in the yard gained 8 laaibs in the open field gained 
each on the average 19ilbs. each on the average 20^ lbs. 
This experiment proving nearly equal, I gave it up for this 
season ; but, wishing not to be prejudiced against the practice of 
yard-feeding after having seen so much testimony in its favour, I 
tried it again the next autumn and winter, and made and enclosed 
a yard as nearly as possible like the one I have described, and 
treated the lambs just in the same manner, putting in another 
lot of eight lambs on the 28th of November, 1840, at the same 
time that they were weighed ; as also penning eight more lambs, 
which were upon the stubble-land adjoining. Both lots had the 
same kind of food — swedes, carrots, and chaff ; they were attended 
