Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-01-21
From The American Aguonlturi.i.
Winter Management Of sheep.
nm 4 NICuIUAN TARNTR,

The sheep is perhaps more s,nslbly affect.
ci by IN treatment, than any othrr ol our
domestic animals. and ., may DO as truly
sil that mono repay the owner as well for
good keeping. aui tonsan, caro and a,,on.
ton dunng winter. The losses usually sus.
,ainci by the couHtry at large, In cons,.
qucuca ot negligence IN th, care ot sheep
daring ihc iye,liug s,as5n. i immense. Du-
ring the winter Of lSi2-5. frical of
mine Lost 20 hne sheep. u, trusted a care
ic-, man g. take care or be docks, being
abscu; himself most OF the time, and this
man neglected to shelter, neglected to iccl
properly, u water, 10 sa!i, etc. and tho
result was 20 rotten rclt, in spring. IN.
Other farmer within my acquaintance lost,
during tie Jas; winter aud spring, upward,
0. tr,y, just ir1m sheer negligence. Aal
D, is - the country o,cr--immcns, numbers
Doe every winter l0r want oi care.
SuElJEE. Two purposes are served by
.a,Iters-lhcy save fool, and they preserve
'he wool from the highly iuJariou, effects
ol storms and change, ct weather Where
sheep az, k.p; vihput shelter, ,hc wool is
wanting in thrsc fn, icl,ins properties.
which sheltered wool always possesses IN -
superior a dccr,c. An o'i wo1,lrn manu-.
hcturgr onco told mc. Dc could tell without
r,l, whether sheep bad h,cn sheltered or
not. us s1ou a. o., began 90 work ihe wool.
shelter ,cluiyal,nt 90 food, in s1m' de-
sr,c. Food is rqur,i 20 keep up the ani.
NAL heai-it is the fuel tho stomach Is
th, Gre pl,cs. where 10 /. consumed, aud the
bgly j. the hou., to D, warmed The warm.
90 a dwcllin: house j.. the les fuel il re-
quircl. Even a hg,t OF tre,. about the cH.
posed portion. savc- a lars' amount of fuel.
- with sheep, or other asimal., The warm
cr they are kept. the L., fool j. required to
preserve the ua,drll warmth or the body.
Shelter. therefore. serve, a' an equivalent,
llr looI {, "a certain extent.
Furthermore Good shelter. reduce the
l1ssc, {, mere nothing n, mos, success
GOD ,as-s OF the via,.r management oi
sheep, are whcr, ihelJek, are comfortably
housed dlr,us the entire winter; and not
allowed iu toe a.ll, AZ all. know Of ca.
-s, vh,r, ,Ais practice has bson continued
iur .iz ~ -,,cn years, and the Losses have
NOT amounted t, more than ono quarter OF
one pr cent. The stables were well ,cn:i.
lated, AMI Uttered daily.
Tlop Sheep need great variety Of
food. W animal rlrase' Of 80 many diI
f.r,ui plants, hence they are foudoi change,
even from hciicr TO wor.', sometimes, rl,h.
e. tlau 9, feed on one kind continually. \
constant adherence 10 dry food, the winter
thr1usu. is sure t, cnsrnIgr the ailment
known n, 1ri.ig,.whi,h, il not attended
tJ, often proves fatal 90 sheep. \ feed OF
roots, apples, or any succulent vegetables,
,brge time. a week. will obyiaic All danger
iu tia. direction. 10 produce the dncs, aui
eyene-t ilecccs, or an e,en.siEed and even.
lensthei fiber, nothing Is more important
than g)Jl food, aui an even condition Of
Nesb throughout the year. Fat at ono
time, aud poor o., another, will surely pro.
duco an uneven iibcr, and materially injurc
the qualities Of the wool f5r mos, manufac-
tur.us purposes. High feeding is certainly
no, favorable for the growth Of tic finest
wool. RuJl-llca turnips in large quantl-
tie. Ga 20 sheep during the winter, ipjurc
the quality of wool nr dnc fabrics, and -
does Indian corn, when given rlentilully.
These article, Of food srarinsly do littlc
harm-othcr grains, roots, aud beans are
preferable.
WATER. Many farmers hold to tho no.
ton tina, sheep need no water during win
ter bat surely there /, 40 ground for II,
f1r no animal drinks more freely, or with a
better relish and it i. as essential to their
health anl condition. that they have full
supply regularly, as that they have a full
supply Of good food regularly.
Every good and experienced lock.mastcr
knows how importau, it j., to keep sheep
up in good condition in the fall, and to
have them come to the sheds at this season
In full as.h and health. No animal is 50
hard to bring up again, after becoming
poor, as the sheep. Indeed. having had the
experience myself, speak fe'linsly on the
suhi,ct. There is i-noihlns more unsatisiy-
in: tian the very humane occupation OF
nursing up poor, weak, diseased animal,
which has been reduced, aud brought upon
the sick list. by ones own carelcssnes' and