The farmer and mechanic., 1912-10-15
Ey Elmer Henderson.

matter how well the eve may De leu
just previous to the time Of lambing,
she will not be in her best condition
to nourish her offspring unless she is
IN fair condition at the time Of mat
ing.
The reason is at once apparent. II
q eve Is thin when she is bed the
burden Of growing the young Is too
much OF strain upon her to allow
of her gaining much flesh. This brings
rs to what is known as flushing
among old shepherds.
Flushing may be defined as putting
the eve upon highly succulent and
mating.
l have said before that it was nee
essary to have the eve in good flesh
at the mating season. This is just
the object Of flushing.
1t has been found by all practical
shepherds that q pint of grain In
September is worth a quart at lamb
ing time. The reason is that the
eve fed grain in the fall has very
little burden to bear in the shape Of
the growing young while in the case
Of the eve heavy with lamb all the
food eaten goes mostly to nourish the
foetuS. It will be inferred that If
grain will make the difference in the
condition Of the eve, grass will do
the same thing-and this is just what
happens. The eve that has plenty OF
good nutritious grasses in the fail is
almost sure to come to lambing time
in good heart and raise a good luSty
lamb, while the reverse is true of the
eve that is not given good chance.
Flushing is especially desirable in
large fockS where it is desirable to
have the ewes all lamb at nearly the
same time.
With many f1ockmasters it is con-
sdered desirable to have the ewes
bred as early as possible SO as t
have the lambs ready for the early
and therefore best market.
:, 1t has been found that by flushing
the ewes they may be made to breed
earlier than they would otherwise,
and most Of them will lamb in a COM
paratively short period.
+. 1t is we'll known that ewes come in
heat with the coming of cool weather,
and it is probably true that the fresh,
palatable grass, by cooling the system
and inviSorating the eve by a fresh
How Of blood infuses into her new
yigor which puts her in much the
Same condition that she is in the ad-
vent Of cool weather.
Whether this is the reason or not
does not matter to the farmer if he
knows whether this or some other
reason applies, he gets the results
looked for which is of vastly more
Importance.
Oftentimes the means nearest at
hand are the best and this is true IN
bur particular case. The meadow is
always at hand and could easily be
used for fall feed for the ewes The
aftermath that springs up in the fall
snakes good growth and furnishes q
very nutritious and highly palatable
Food If there is some clover in it SO
Enuch the better, as there is no food
better for sheep.
Rape makes a very excellent food
and l am very partial to 1t. A small
patch of rape sown in the summer.
by this time is large enough to make
a lot Of good feed. Another way is
TO SOW rape in the corn at the last
cultivation and turn the sheep in the
corn. II a few sheep are turned into
a lot Of rape and corn they may be
allowed to run there for some time
before they will in any way DANA ge
the corn.
Then. too. this furnishes fine feed
for the lambs after the ewes are taken
out. They may be allowed to run here
all fall and will live on the rape and
lower blades of corn. and if the corn
Is not down too much thev will not
bother the ear.
Where it is intended to make rape
and corn serve this double purpose OF
pasturing the ewes and the weaned
lambs il is we'll to plant a lot OF
pumpkins for feed for the lambs later
in the fall They will do their own
gathering and they are the best pos.
sible vermifuges.
However we'll your fall pasture is
1t is always well to remember that 6
little grain will not come amiss, anC
I believe it would pay every sheer
owner TO feed a half pound Of oats
to his sheep every day during the fal
and winter, even though they are or
luXuriant pasture.
There are many other ways of car
ing for the ewes than the ones men.
toned. The only point Of great i'm
portance is to give good, green foot
and lots Of it. What the kind of foo(
will be, eevry farmer can best decid,
for himself, but this much is certain