454 Transactions of the 



"home place," where the shearing corrals and other permanent works 

 are erected. However these be constructed in tbeir other details, it is 

 well to have them so arranged as to be used for "parting" a flock at 

 all times. This requires only that there be arranged in connection with 

 the main corral a lane — say fourteen inches wide — with the gate at the 

 end of it. As the sheej} come from the corral up the lane, in single file, 

 the}' ma}' be parted by swinging the gate to one side of the lane or the 

 other, to enter either of the inclosures, as may be desired. Permanent 

 sheep corrals ought not to be used for any other stock, and a good way 

 to insure that they shall not, is to mortise into the gate jiosts at thetime 

 they are set, a stout cross-bar at a height of say three and one half feet 

 from the ground. This will exclude neat stock and horses, and avert 

 the danger of having to get up panics amongst the sheep at night, turn- 

 ing such stock out. Again, on the plains bands of this stock are brought 

 along from time to time, and the cattle men — who do not understand 

 why their stock is a nuisance at a sheep camp — ask to corral them for 

 the night. The favor cannot well be refused; but your cattle friend will 

 hardly ask to knock the corral down for his accommodation; and if the 

 gates be all closed, as above suggested, his cattle cannot get in without 

 knocking them down. On such ranches, the best feed at lambing time 

 is as likely as not to be away from the home place, and the lambing will 

 be done where the best feed is. Permanent lambing corrals cannot, 

 therefore, be erected on these places, and the more complete the prepa- 

 ration for setting up a good set of corrals and pens where they may hap- 

 pen to be wanted, the better. 



The details of lambing corrals may be endlessly varied to suit cir- 

 cumstances, especially in adapting the corrals that may be already on a 

 farm, to lambing purposes. I have indicated the general idea that may 

 be aimed at; the description of the lambing work, which follows, should 

 do the rest. 



LAMBING. 



PARTING OUT. 



A week at least before the first lambs are due, the wethers, barren 

 ewes, and yearlings, are to be parted out from the ewe flock. This is 

 the first lambing work proper; and it is to be remarked right here, that 

 in this and in all other sheep work, they are not to be frightened nor 

 chased about, under any circumstances. The sheep is the most timorous 

 of domestic animals, and, to those who are strangers to them, appear to 

 have the least sense. Though hardy in one sense, they are not difficult 

 to injure — especially ewes that are big with lamb. At this time, care 

 and watchfulness, and a patience that knows no exhaustion, are requi- 

 site in dealing with them, especially by the novice who has yet to learn 

 " their ways." The corral and pens that we have prepared are ex- 

 pressly to avert the necessity of panics, and of knocking the sheep about. 

 In catching a sheep, endeavor to throw the left arm around its neck, 

 clapping the right hand on the rump, when you have it under complete 

 control. Missing this, slip up and take it by the hind leg. Never plunge 

 the hands into the wool, and hold the animal as it struggles. It is no 

 exaggeration to say that the effect of this is the same as of so many 

 pulls at one's hair; the place is seen to become bloodshot, and the trick 

 is simply barbarous. From first to last, there is not an operation neces- 

 sary to be performed that cannot be accomplished without rough-aud- 



