LEICESTER EWES AND LAMBS. 167 



swam through a pool, as is the case with Cheviot sheep. By 

 the hand- washing method every sheep passes through five hands 

 in the water, the last being the shepherd, whose place it is to 

 see that the work is properly executed. After washing it is 

 usual to allow eight or ten days to elapse before clipping is 

 begun. The best time to begin is the 1st of June, although 

 many farmers commence about the 24th of May. 



Whicliever date is chosen, the Leicester sheep are clipped 

 first, and, if properly done, each man should shear from twenty 

 to thirty a day, adopting the method called " Culleyiug," after 

 the great improver of the Border Leicester sheep. This system 

 requires a good deal of skill, and is gained by constant practice, 

 until some shepherds can make almost perfect work. As the 

 shears are used by both hands alternately under this mode, the 

 fleece is always shorn quite regularly ; whereas, when all the 

 fleece is clipped with the right hand alone, one side must neces- 

 sarily be rougher than the other, as it is clipped with the lie of 

 the wool. 



After the Leicester sheep are finished, it is usual to begin the 

 half-bred, which, although not generally clipped so particularly, 

 are treated in the same manner as the Leicesters. The average 

 weights of fleeces on many farms runs about the following : — 

 Leicesters. — Tup hoggs, 9 J lb. ; ewe and wedder hoggs, 8 lb. ; and 

 ewe fleeces, 7 lb. Half-lred. — Hoggs, 7 lb. ; ewes, 6 lb. 



To return to the management of the lambs, they are kept 

 upon the pasture until the end of June, at which time those 

 which are not thriving well, and all the ewes which are to be 

 drafted, should be drawn out and placed on permanent pasture, 

 so that they may continue to advance in condition, and the 

 lambs kejjt as equal as possible. 



Weaxixg. 



July having arrived, lambs have to be weaned, and from the 

 end of June until this is accomplished they must be kept on 

 those pastures which will maintain them best. Leicester lambs 

 are weaned about the 10th of July, and half-breds about the 

 20th of the month. Before beoinninG^ to wean lambs it is the 

 usual practice of extensive sheep-breeders to secure grass pasture 

 on a neighbouring farm or moor for a month, as all the lambs 

 cannot be weaned at home. At weaning, wether lambs must be 

 sent to the best pasture obtainable, and the ewe-lambs to a moor 

 where they will live well for a month. If it is found, after 

 sending lambs on to these pastures, that they do not thrive well, 

 they should be brought home before the month is out and ewes 

 sent in their place. When brought home at the end of the 

 moutli, or before that time, the lambs are placed in the same 



