4SQ Suggestions for Stock-feeding in the Winter of 1893-9-1. 
stock can be kept at about 3s. per head per week, if not at less 
cost, exclusive of straw and attendance. 
Alfred J. Smith. 
VIII. 
How farmers can best carry their sheep and cattle through the 
coming winter months is a problem rendered the more difficult 
from the fact that nobody can remember a time when the 
country was so badly off for all kinds of fodder as at present. 
In addition to this, owing to the last winter and spring 
being so severe and backward, farmers not only exhausted all 
their old stock of hay, but made a considerable outlay in the 
purchase of artificial food, which, unfortunately, has not proved 
remunerative, either in the price of stock sold during the 
summer or in the value of the crops just gathered. Therefore, 
it seems to me that many will feel indisposed — even where cir- 
cumstances might permit — to be so liberal during the coming 
winter, whilst all will try to utilise their small amount of home- 
grown produce to the best possible advantage. 
On the borders of North and East Dorset, where I live, there 
is, on some farms, not a single haystack to be seen, and on 
others there is only about one-fourth of the average quantity of 
hay which should be found at this time of the year. The roots, 
although an even plant, which made good progress during the 
month of August, cannot be expected to produce large 
“ bulbs,” or to attain the weight per acre of ordinary years, 
unless there should be a continuance of showery weather 
throughout September. Therefore, especially in this locality, 
where good-sized flocks are kept, and with a small outlet 
for sheep, I would suggest that the old ley lands in course 
for wheat be left unploughed till the early spring, wffien oats, 
or even barley, may bo sown. These lands should be laid up 
at once, and, with the hope of five or six weeks of mild and 
growing weather, we may expect to have sufficient grass to fold 
off with the early in-lamb ewes at night. I prefer the evening, 
as the grass would not then be frosty, and no hay would be 
required, but in the early morning a good supply of dry food 
and water should be given. 
This dry food might comprise wheat straw or oat straw, and, 
if possible, a little hay, cut into chaff, with a mixture of bruised 
oats or barley, or wheat, with malt dust, dried grains, pollards or 
bran, a little cotton-cake, or any such cheap feeding-stuffs as 
may be bought at from 4,1. 10s. to hi. 10s. per ton ; this should 
be sufficient if given at the rate of about 1^ or 2 busheis per 
100 head of ewes. Then a few roots — common turnips — should 
