92 
On  Winter  Feeding  of  Sheep. 
tilation  is  freely  given,  the  sheds  will  not  have  an  offensive  smell  ; 
sheep-sheds,  I have  found,  should  not  be  so  warm  as  ox-sheds. 
Mine  are  so  contrived  that  an  even  temperature  can  be  readily 
kept  up  of  about  50°  in  the  latter  and  45°  in  the  former.  Pens 
measuring  8 feet  by  6 will  be  found  a convenient  size  for  six  Down 
sheep,  thus  giving  6 feet  in  width  to  each  pen,  and  3 feet  for  the 
walk  down  the  middle;  the  shed  will  require  to  be  15  feet  wide, 
the  length  being  determined  by  the  number  to  be  provided  for. 
A rough  shed  may  easily  be  constructed  for  experiments,  but.  it 
may  be  worth  while,  when  erecting  a permanent  building  as  de- 
scribed, to  add  a similar  or  an  ordinary  shed  as  a wing  on  either 
side,  which  may  be  used  for  a variety  of  purposes,  thus  enclosing 
and  sheltering  the  lambing-yard  on  three  sides. 
The  expense  of  attendance  is  trifling,  if  boys  are  principally 
employed,  little  exceeding  what  is  required  in  the  field  ; and  the 
cartage  of  turnips  not  so  serious ; about  2 tons  per  week,  in  addition 
toother  food,  will  be  consumed  by  50  Down  sheep.  The  average 
time  required  to  fat  sheep  in  this  way  is  about  twelve  weeks.  I 
do  not  enter  upon  the  subject  of  feeding  in  detail,  because  much 
has  been  written  upon  it,  nor  do  I pretend  to  have  satisfied  myself 
whether  I use  the  best  proportions  or  kind  of  food ; and  the 
object  of  these  remarks  is  a mere  comparison  as  to  feeding  in  winter 
in  or  out  of  doors.  I doubt  whether,  as  a general  result,  an 
increase  of  weight  exceeding  2 to  2^  lbs.  per  week  per  100  lbs. 
live  weight  should  be  reckoned  upon,  although  there  are  much 
higher  statements  made  upon  this  point. 
I have  had  a sheep  increase  for  three  weeks  at  the  rate  of  4^ 
lbs  , but  it  will  sometimes  be  found  that  a sheep  will  not  increase 
at  all,  whether  in  or  out  of  the  shed,  for  weeks,  and  for  obvious 
reasons  one  must  not  expect  general  results  to  be  as  favourable  as 
those  of  particular  experiments.  Fixed  sheds,  suitable  for  thus 
feeding  sheep,  need  not  necessarily  be  expensively  constructed  ; 
I have  never  yet  met  with  a good  plan  for  thoroughly  sheltering 
sheep  in  the  field,  combining  what  we  require,  cheapness  and 
portability.  I conceive  long-woolled  sheep  would  fatten  in  sheds 
equally  as  well  as  the  short-woolled,  if  not  kept  in  so  warm  a 
temperature.  For  winter  feeding,  when  the  sheep  have  turnips, 
there  is  no  need  for  the  expensive  arrangements  for  laying  on 
w'ater  in  the  sheds  that  are  sometimes  to  be  seen  ; and  I do  not 
think  much  objection  need  be  urged  to  the  plan  of  shed-feeding 
sheep  in  respect  to  expense,  if  the  buildings  are  constructed  as  I 
have  described,  and  are  made  to  answer  other  purposes — a great 
desideratum  in  farm-buildings.  I have  tried  placing  the  sheep 
on  a brick-floor  with  an  incline  to  a tank,  littered  with  chaff,  but 
they  were  too  wet,  and  the  consumption  of  litter  was  too  great;  I 
therefore  prefer  the  gratings,  which  will  wear  a long  time:  there 
