The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-17
farm and Garden.
Winter Feeding OF Sheep.

labor spent in the disposal Of 1t. a
farm should be a mandatory for the
working up of the raw material grown
upon it into finished product This gives
the double profit of double business
1t utilities proftably the leisure or idle
time of a season in which no other work
can be done, and gives an opportunity OF
using extra capital to advantage. To
feed the farm products, and make beef
butter, mutton, wool, or pork Is the most
rational manner Of dispOslng OF them, and
of all the different farm animals which
may be fed advantageously in this way,
sheep offer the best return They can
be purchased at small expense; the cost
of lodging them is small they are not at
all dainty or particular as to their feed ;;
they exact but moderate labor and at
tention in care and feeding; they can be
disposed of readily, and they leave be-
hind them the most valuable kind of ma
nure, returning in this shape practically
every cent of the value of their feed
But, while all this is true, it is by no
means the simplest matter in the world
to realize the advantages that are pos
sible. Many farmers do it, but they are
experienced, and have been long engaged
in the practice of feeding sheep in the
winter, to return them off fat in the
spring But what they do others may
do, if they will learn the secrets and re-
quirements of the business and exert
themselves with enterprise and persever-
ance. The first requisite is to select a
number of good common sheep in store
condition, young and healthy. These
may be picked up from passing droves
from the towns where they are gathered
from the adjacent country for driving to
the ultimate markets Of the great Atlantic
cities, by making journeys into moder-
ately distant places were sheep are kept
and purchasing here and there few and
driving the flock home, or by visiting the
city markets and selecting there such
Sleeps as may be desirable If one has
but moderate or little knowledge of sheep,
he may easily procure the services of an
expert for a small commission to select
what may be required. There are sheep
that cannot be fed proftably; old and i'll
conditioned animals, with worn or defec-
tive teeth, small-belhed, long-legged, flap
cared, and with long and thin faces and
pucked-up, wrinkled noses are unpro6t-
able and to be avoided young sheep
with good frames but thin, are the kind
to be chosen, and these viii pay for feed
ing. The shelter required need be no
more than an open shed facing the south,
dry and clean, and dry yard kept well
Uttered with straw. A few feed-racks
will be required in the yard, and one all
round the shed, with a trough for grain.
Hay, preferably the best of clover straw,
some roots-turnips, mangles, or beets,
or even potatoes; corn in the ear and,
for change, a few bushels of mixed
grain, such as rye, oats, and buckwheat,
will comprise the fodder and feed Water
should be provided from a well, and
should be supplied in abundance and
fresh several times a day, so that it will
not become ice cold 1t is a common
opinion that sheep need no water in the
winter time. How any reasonable per-
son can belive that a sheep, any more
than any other animal can live and
thrive, while eating dry food, without an
ample quantity Of drink, is passing
strange but many owners Of focks do
hold this erroneous opinion, and their
sheep, consequently, are condemned to
eat snow or Stake their thirst with the
foul drainage of the yards. If provided
with clean, pure water, sheep will drink
many times day, and they should be
held to be as good Judges of what is ne
cessary for them as cows or other ami
mails. Feeding should be frequent and
regular Regularity is most important
element of success. Sheep will feed very
early in the morning, and the first work
should be to feed the flock. This should
be done not later than o'clock. The
first feed should be hay given in the
rack in the shed. At o'clock feed of
corn should be given, halls pint for each
sheep will be sufficient. Grain need not
be ground for sheep they mastioate
their food very carefully, and serve ad-
mirably as their own feed-mills. After
eating their corn they may be watered,
and the racks in the yard may be filed
with straw, which they will pick for
time, and then lie down to ruminate.
At u, a feed of chopped roots may be
given, and these will be better for a sprink-
ling of bran upon them and small
quantity of salt. After the roots they
will pick over the straw in the yard until
8 in the afternoon, when a small quantity
of the mixed grain-a pint per head will
be suficient-may be given. The water
trough should be emptied and reflled
with fresh water, and at 6 in the evening
the rack in the shed should be filed up,
and the outside racks emphed of the
straw and rallied with fresh As many