1846, 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
335 
FIG-.S. 
SHEEP RACKS AND TROUGHS.—Fig. 95. 
The above are figures of sheep-racks and troughs, | 
Which in our opinion are the best we have seen for their 
respective uses. They are from “ The American Shep¬ 
herd,” where we find the following description of 
them: 
Figure 1 is a model of those used by the writer, [Mr. 
Morrell,] for many years. They cost but little, and 
little waste can result from their use; and are also 
light, and therefore easily removed, which is some¬ 
times necessary whether feeding is done under cover or 
not. Where, however, the severity of the climate 
compels feeding wholly under shelter, the kind desig¬ 
nated by fig. 2, appears admirably adapted for the pur¬ 
pose. The writer, however, never having used any of 
this description, cannot speak confidently whether their 
superiority is greatly over the other kind, and must 
therefore refer the reader to the remarks concerning 
them of several of his correspondents. 
The upright pieces or posts of figure 1 should be of 
pine or hemlock scantling, 2 by 3 inches, and at least 
2 feet 9 inches in length. The lower boards 12 inches 
in width, and the upper ten inches; the spaces between 
them 9 inches; the width of the rack 2| feet. The 
most convenient length is about 12 feet, and if thus, 6 
will be required for 100 sheep of the Saxon and Merino 
varieties, or grades of these, when full grown. 
For lambs, the width of the lower boards may be 
reduced two inches, the top board not any, and the 
space between, less about two inches, the width of the 
rack four inches less, and the posts shortened three 
inches. 
From the length of the posts, an allowance, it will 
be seen, is made for nailing the lower boards two or 
three inches above the bottoms of them, which is pro¬ 
per. Five racks, if each is 12 feet long, will be re¬ 
quired for 100 lambs of ordinary size. There should 
be no crowding when eating. 
The front and upper edges of the lower boards should 
be planed slightly, to prevent the wool from the breasts 
and necks of the sheep from being rubbed off. To se¬ 
cure the boards permanently to the posts, spikes should 
be used of sufficient length to clinch. Four spikes to 
each side and end board are necessary. 
Figure 2. The most correct idea of the construc¬ 
tion of this is given by the cut, which represents one 
sawed in two crosswise. Six pieces of three by four 
inch scantling, and 33 inches each in length are re¬ 
quired for a rack. The shelving boards, as seen above 
the heads of the sheep, are of § inch stuff, and 14 
inches in width, and are very necessary to prevent hay 
seed and chaff from falling into the necks; and further, 
the hay, if pulled down faster than eaten, cannot waste, 
as it is saved by the troughs. The front board of the 
troughs should be 9 inches in width; the space for the 
heads of the sheep 10 inches; and from the top of the 
space to the end of the support, 14 inches. The trian¬ 
gles A, A, represent the troughs. This is a double 
rack, but on this principle they can be made single, 
and placed against the sides of the shelter. They are 
more expensive than the kind at first described, but 
have decided advantages for feeding within doors, as 
troughs are connected. 
Troughs. —The boards of the trough (Fig. 3,) may 
be of hemlock, or pine; the former, however, are not 
only cheapest, but hold nails more firmly. They should 
be 10 inches in width, one inch thick, and nailed at 
right angles, or, simply the edges of two nailed to¬ 
gether. A notch must then be sawed precisely to cor¬ 
respond with the flare of the trough into a two-inch 
pine plank, a piece of which 12 inches wide and 15 
inches long constitutes the proper dimensions for the 
end pieces, or legs of the trough. (See end piece, 
fig. 4.) 
SHEEP ON THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. 
Mr. Tucker —As a further reply to the question 
asked by S. B. Buckley, p. 241 of the present volume 
of the Cultivator,—“ Whether wool-growing will suc¬ 
ceed in North Carolina or not? - ’ I would say that it 
depends entirely upon the exertions used, as I am 
thoroughly convinced that the country and climate is 
altogether favorable. The objections raised by Mr. 
Buckley, if they existed in all the mountain region 
might be considered serious; but as they can only be 
offered against a few very high mountains, situated in 
the midst of many other mountains, and far from any 
level or plain country, such a hiding place as he speaks 
of, would not be such a place as persons raised in civi¬ 
lized or refined society would wish to settle in. The 
Roan and Black mountains, were selected by Mr. Thos. 
Clingman, because they were the most elevated and 
noted mountains in Yancey Co., and not, I presume, be¬ 
cause he thought they would afford the best pasturage 
for sheep; if so he was mistaken. On those mountains 
and in their vicinity, are the finest grazing lands for 
cattle; and so there is in the low marshy land of South 
Carolina; but neither location is favorable for sheep. 
I agree with Mr. Buckley, “ That a large portion of 
the county of Yancey is an elevated table land, which is 
so damp and cold that the inhabitants frequently do not 
raise corn sufficient for their own consumption.” This 
is partly owing to the climate; but mostly to the charac¬ 
ter of many of the inhabitants of those sparsely inhabi¬ 
ted regions, where they too frequently depend upon the 
success of the chase for the largest portion of their sub¬ 
sistence. 
But if Mr. Buckley, or any other gentleman of ob¬ 
servation, will come sixty miles farther south,—on the 
line of the Blue Ridge, into Henderson and Rutherford 
counties, about the Tryon mountain,* which is the first 
that he will ascend on rising up from the level country 
east of the Blue Ridge, along the Howard-Gap tura- 
* This mountain was Harm'd for Gov Tryon. who held office 
under the British crown, about the year 177H. when Tennessee and" 
North Carolina were one state. 
