-j^lQ SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 



distinct variety for the more careless farmers to procure the crosses 

 with. 



I think also that every man before he malces up his flock, should 

 first decide what number he wishes to keep, for I am decidedly of 

 the opinion that a much larger number of fine woolled sheep will be 

 health V and thrive tOG;ether, than of the coarse woolled ones. As 

 to the food consumed, it is a law of nature, that animals generally 

 require nourishment according to their size, varying someAvhat with 

 their age. Some sheep repay us mostly in ayooI, some mostly in 

 lambs, some in each alike. It is also one of nature's laws^ that 

 what matures early decays early, consequently a long woolled lamb 

 which will mature in one half of the time that a fine woolled one 

 will, will be valuable but half so long to produce wool and lambs. 

 As to the time, or age, to dispose of sheep for mutton, I believe, as 

 a general rule, when breeding ewes become extremely fat, no mat- 

 ter at what age. they should be slaughtered, unless they are some 

 very superior breeders and their progeny are very desirable. 



There are various opinions as to what time lambs should come. 

 My preference is, not before the 15th of April, nor after the loth of 

 May, for many reasons. If before April ]5th, the sheep require 

 better feed in early winter, and will produce less wool by one pound. 

 Such lambs demand constant care and often die. Those that live 

 are ready for market or to take from their mother but little earlier. 

 If after May 15th, there is usually fresh grass feed, which causes a 

 large flow of milk, frequently more than the lamb can take, the 

 sheep's bag is injured and the lamb stinted in its growth. 



At the time which I prefer, sheep are or ought to be about the 

 barn, instead of ranging "over hill and dale,"' and can be cared for 

 with but little trouble, and 1 think if every man would carefully 

 figure up his shingle he would arrive at the same conclusion which 

 I have. 



All buck lambs not wanted for use should be castrated at from 

 one hour to one week old, and all lambs be weaned by the 15th of 

 August. The farmer should first select the best to keep, and the 

 butcher may have the balance with the old fat ewes, and although 

 he may offer tempting prices for the first choice, still the farmer 

 should be inflexible. No man should allow his ewes to have lambs 

 until they are two years old, at which time they will have arrived 



