Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-05-10
Farm and Fzres1de.
SPRING MIND B.uR OF
SHEEP.

AS soon as the warm weather approaches
and grass appears, sheep become FESTIVE
and impatient for the pasture. This in
stinct should be repressed Till the ground
has become thoroughly dry, and the grass
has acquired substance. They ought, more
over, to be provided for the change of food |
by the daily use of roots for few days be- |
fore turning out. The tendency to excess
siye purging which is induced by the first |
spring feed, may be checked by housing |
them at night and feeding them for the
first few days with little sound, sweet
hay. They must be provided with pure
water and salt; for, though they may do
tolerably well without either, yet thrift
and freedom from disease are cheaply Sc
cured by this slight attention.
As to water, it may be said 1t is not in
dispensabe in the summer pastures, since
the dews and the succulence of the feed
answer as a substitute; but wide expert
ence having demonstrated that free ac-
cess to 1t is advantageous, particularly to
those having lambs, it should be consid-
cred a matter of importance on sheep
farm so to arrange the pastures, If possible,
as to bring water into each of the m.
Salt is Indispensable to the health, especi-
ally in the summer. 1t Is common to give
It once week, while they are at grass. 1t
Is still better TO give them free access to H.,
at all times, by keeping 1t In a covered
box, open on one side A large hollow
log, with holes cut along the side for the
insertion of the heads of the animals, an
swers very well. A sheep having free ac-
CESS to salt at all times will never eat too
much of it and it will take its supply at
such times and in such quantities as Ma
ture demands, instead of eating OF it vora-
ciously at stated periods, as intermediate
abstinence will stimulate it to do. When
salt Is fed but once week, it is better to
have stated day, so that it will not be for
gotten; and it is well TO lay the salt on fiat
stones-though if laid in little handfuls on
the grass, very little Of it will be lost.
Dry, sweet pastures, and such as abound
In aromatic and bitter plants, are best sui
ted for sheep-walks. No animal, with the
exception of the goat, crops so great a var
iety of plants. They eat many which are
rejected by the horse and the OK, which
are even essential to their own wants. In
the husbandman, as they feed greedily on
wild mustard, burdock, thistles, marsh
mallows, nilk-weed and various other
offending plants and the Merino exceeds
the more recent breeds In the range of his
selections.
In pastures, however, where the dry
stalks of the burdock, or the hounds
tongue, or tory-weed have remained stand
ing over the winter, the burrs are caught
In the now long wool, and, II they are
numerous, the wool is rendered entirely
unmarke table and almost valueless. Even
the dry prickles of the common or Canada
thistles, where they are very numerous
get into the neck wool Of sheep, as they
thrust their heads under and among them
TO crop the first scarce feed of the northern
spring and, independently Of injuring the
wool, they make 1t difficult to wash and
otherwise handle the sheep. Indeed, 1t Is
a matter of the soundest policy 10 keeI
sheen on the cleanest pastures, those free
from these and similar plants and In 8
region where they are pastured the year
round, they should be kept from contact
with them for some months prior TO shear
ing.
Many prepare artificial pastures for theil
nocks, which may DO done with number
of plants. Winter rye, or wheat sown early
In the season, may be fed off in the fall
without injury to the crop; and, In the
following spring, the rye may be pastured
till the stalks shoot up and begin to form 1
head. This affords an early and nutritious
food. Corn may be sown broadcast, Oh
thickly in drills, and either fed OIL In thu
fields or cut and carried To the sheep II
their folds. White mustard Is also val
liable crop for this purpose
To give the sheep sufficient variety II II
better TO divide their range into severa
smaller ones, and change them as omen, a
least. as once week. They seek favorit'
resting place, on dry, elevated part OF thu
aeld, which soon becomes soiled. by re-