The Opelousas courier., 1890-03-08

time, during which, in most sections,
the treatment of the sheep is to be
radically changed. Instead of running
in pastures and gathering their ewn food,
their rations must low be apportioned
to them at least twice a day, and to pre-
vent their ieeces from acquiring f6reign
matter during the long feeding period
even mere than the former attention will
be required.
For this purpose size arrangements
should be sdeh that the sheep can be fed
Without covering themselves. with the
ehaf and dust of hay, which II allowed
to fall upon then by their own acts while
feeding, or from the careless manner in
which food is supplied to them, will in
evitably detract many cents per pound
from the m~erchantable value of the feece .
A farmer who can show to a buyer after
shearing Aeeees free from burrs and the
dust and dirt of the winter feeding will
be more than compensated fer the trouble
and expense il may have cost him.
TIE sheep is.furnished by nature with
a warm covering, which is ample protec.
ton against dry cold, so that, except in
the case of young lambs, the single eie
ment of cold viii be neither uncomforta,
BILE moi damaging. The housing of the
flock. therefore, need not be constructed
with especial reference to warmth, but
ample shelter from rains and sleet should
be afforded. When sheep are. allowed to
remain exposed to storms until the fleece
has become saturated with rain, it is al
once changed from a protection against
cold into an uncomfortable wet blanket
that is not soon easily dried, and be-.
COMES a source of disease.
To keep a flock healthy, the sheep
must have dry feet. Where pigs w0'ild
fatten in muddy enclosures sheep would
contract diseases and die. Their out.
door winter quarters should therefore be
on ground naturally dry, or, made SO ar.
tiicially, and from which the water fall.
ing on it will quickly drain off Net
only should their winter quarters be or
dry ground, but they will always be
found in the best general condition wher
pastured on uplands or rather thin soil.
In the Older secti6ns of this country
sheepafaising can only be profitable on
cheap, rolling or billy lands with rather
scanty heritage, but ample area, They
do not flourish as we'll on rich soils, be
sides such lands can be more advantage
cusly used.
A sheep-house or shed for winter pro-
lection may be cheaply made, from eigh
teen to twenty feet or more wide, and as
long as desired, either as an ordinary
frame building or with straight saplina
posts set in the ground. The siding may
be of ordinary barn boards set upright
and without battening. The space fol
the sheep below should be just higt
enough for a man to walk about in il
without stopping. The floor overhead
should be of matched stuff to prevent
dust and hay seed from falling through
on the sheep. Between the floor and
the roof should be sufficient space fc.
hay, which can be put in through a dooi
in the end Of the building that can be
most conveniently reached with a wagon,
A narrow space over the hay-rack is lief
unfoored.
A manager or trough wide enough TO
feeding grain, ETC., should run the length
of the building near the back. Over thl
is the hay-rack, SO placed that the trough
will catch whatever falls out of the rack
The front Stats should be smooth AMI
about three inches apart and incline back
ward a little, 20 that the dust and hay
seed will not fall on the head and should
e-s of the sheep. The back of the racl
should be of SMOOTH boards, at such al
incline as viii cause tie hay to settl
down against the stats in front. Th
open front should face to the south, an
the rain falling Oh tae roof, whether Q
q cheap construction or a more cost,
sheep barn, should not drip from tn
caves, but be led down and away fron
| the premises.-Farnseys' Hord.