Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-02-24
HORTICULTURAL.
TFrom the Ohio Farrner1
WINTER MANAGEMENT oFsHEEP.

rangenentt given "i1Si'Pfi"" " W. "''t' w
treating our sheep during the winler season.--
know, it in some respects is complete, but II
may subsrve the interest Of wool growers, by
inducing other hock-masters 10 give the public
The result Of their experience and observation,
and ihos Indirectly a, least aid In disseminating
such knowledge as the breeders Of good stock,
NAV desire, and thus contribute to the advance
ment Of one Of the nobest departments Of agri-
cultural life.
The ioinier management Of sheep, in our eli
mate, really begins in part, in the month Of De-
tober, as we not uuffequently have a'fall ofsnow
about the Goth or 25th Of this month, and il
there is not snow enough to cover the ground
the severe frost greatly injure the quality Of the
feed, and make il necessary that some moresub-
stantal food be provided for them, at least once
day, such as hay OF grain, or both, as the age
and condition Of the sheep may require.
FALL FEEDING.
There is no season Of the year thai requires
greater care than this, when we are compelled
toialse our sheep from the secculent food Of the
fields and confne them TO dry hay. The art is 10
manage them so that the shock produced by the
change, will be least felt, and the condition Of
the animal may improve, until the winter sets
10 severity. We practice feeding hay for some
time before the sheep are wholly taken from the
fields, and il they arc not already IN high condi-
ton, grain must then be fed, and il can never be
fed 10 better advantage, especially 10 lambs, and
breeding ewes, that are advanced IN age.
1t ismoeh easier putting nesh on sheep while
the weather is mild, than during the season Of
pinehing cold.
Aud if they come into the winter in low flesh,
and not In thriving condition, ii lie well nigh
impossible to improve their condition, ill the
next spring.
sHEEr HOUSES AND RACKS
They shonld be carefully housed from the fall
and winter storms, both by day and night.
Sheep barns should be double boarded, aud made
warm, and furnished with good doors, and glass
windows, so as to completely shut out the dris-
ing storms, and winds. lts in mo wise suffici-
ent to furnish opeu sheds for the sheep to go IN
der, when they choose, for they wilfalmos, uni-
versally leave the sheds and stand IN the rain,
either in the fan or winter, till they become
thoroughly drenched with water, and if the rain
storms are sncceeded BY severe cold, as is often
the ease, they frequently take violent cold,
from which they win not recover for long time,
and perhaps never.
Aier the grass of the fields is mostly gone
which will generally be the case, in the early
part Of November. our sheep ara brought into.
the yards, and uot suffered 10 90 into the fields
again till the next spring, afier the grass has
attained sufficient height TO furnish full sup
ply for them.
When the sheep are confined 10 the wards or
harms, we fodder them. say, three times dav.
and always under cover, in permanent racks
made around the outside Of the barn, and even
with the top Of the sill, and two feet wide, with
tight flcor, with stats, seven inches wide and
two and half feet long nailed to the stills, and
seven inches apart, giving each full grown sheep
fourieeu inches younger sheep two inches less
In addition to the racks, boxes are used, II
necessary we store tho hay for our sheep in the
upper part Of our sheep barns, which readers
the labor Of foddering much less than any other
place Of storage. During the time Of foddering
we turn the sheep into the yards, aud close the
doors, until the hay is properly Distributed into
the racks and boxes, IL both are used. and then
4
We roll back the large doors, which are ten or
WE'VE iec' "'ue' ana 'he whole Hook enters ana
ai' commence eating at once. If sheep arc al
.owea 10 DC present during the time Of fodder
ing they huddlc very thickly around and renders
u,,iiSui' 70 move around among them. ana ,neif
wool becomes hiled with hay seed and dust,
'n.' 'nucn injuries .he appea,enoe o. u
IN a1dluOn 70 inc .nIeo 'o"ee'.ass - nay
VIC 'eeu s''aw 'w'oe' ~ ~ 'e'' " .ae 'u.e"oon
ana az uhree % 'ns a''s'1,on ana 'ns straw Is
Ted IN boxes s'ana'ng 10 .'e open ysfo' These
boxes ,nase '"e NY 1,'s.Oa ~ 'ne yaro LOT inc oii
ieren' noeNs usSa'y ul'ioe Our sneep IN,
70 lois =. aoou' ~ eAel'' sso"ruihg 70 age and
SEX ,"yusn e"seP ~v"'u WINTER put poorly
on s"1" . a'o"s, ye' '"e'' ,onuness lot variety
inuu'es ''e'" ~ o@' Po,non OF freely, so
.l'I' WI, .T''s ~ 'ns BOXES Is ga'hered up
~. ~" ~. - s. ous "o,ses anu ca''ie. 90 that
~, m s''a" SD''ag 'ne WINTER Is all economically
,sp'. .I,a a'.ses =, .a','e Ola OF young arc
A'''' "'''"'' ~ ~" WIN Sneep IN the winier