Landlords and Tenants 



2!;i 



ook upon land simply as an investment for money, 

 and utterly ignore all the duties and responsibilities 

 which the possession of estates entails. Now, %\hen 

 you see proprietors behaving in this way you cannot 

 wonder that tenants follow the example set them, and 

 look exclusively after their own interests as a class ; and 

 from this state of things questions in which the inter- 

 ests of the two classes seem to clash are constantly 

 arising. I think it is of the greatest importance that 

 these causes of contention, which disturb that good 

 feeling ^^■hich should exist between landlord and ten- 



ant, should be removed in some way or other. On 

 some of them legislation may be necessary, but I am 

 convinced that if occasions like the present were more 

 taken advantage of, and if all those interested in agri- 

 culture, or who from the possession of land ought to 

 be so, would mix more together and exchange ideas, 

 we should hear very little of such questions, both 

 parties would come to see that their interests mstead 

 of being antagonistic are identical, and they would 

 look at matters not from a narrow class point of view„ 

 but would work together for their common benefit. 



THE SHEPHERDS KALENDAR^ 



JANUARY. — The breeding ewes ought to have a 

 plentiful supply of roots in order to give them 

 full condition prior to lambing; for, although it is 

 argued by many that with ewes in a fat state a greater 

 loss is sustained from deaths, I am inclined to think 

 quite the opposite, and that ewes when full of flesh, 

 are much more equal to combat difficult cases of par- 

 turition than when emaciated, and lean, in which latter 

 state they often sink. Fattening sheep and hogs are 

 now fed on cut swedes, with more or less artificial food, 

 as they are intended for early maturity or otherwise. 



February. — Although it is highly advisable to have 

 ewes full of condition when they lamb, it has been 

 proved that if they are fed on roots exclusively up to 

 that term, the offspring is weak and delicate; it is, 

 therefore, prudent to remove them to grass, and gradu- 

 ally diminish the supply of roots, up to veaning, and 

 substitute, say a little cake, corn, maltculms, &c. , any 

 of which appear equally to tend to develope the foetus, 

 and therefore that which is cheapest may be selected. 



]\Iarch. — In a large flock a few cases of abortion 

 generally precede the lambing season which is not much 

 to be feared, as in the ewe, unlike the cow, this 

 casualty is not at all contagious, although the same 

 cause may be productive of several cases which are, 

 such as fright from dogs, jambing, forcing through gate- 

 ways, &c. , all of which ought to be studiously avoided. 

 Rare instances ai prolapsus uteri, too, occur prior to 

 lambing — these cannot be avoided, but a skilful and 

 attentive shepherd in the majority of cases delivers 

 the ewe with impunity. Erect shelters in different 

 parts of the paddocks, fields, &c., into which young 

 lambs have to be turned, by placing hurdles in the 

 section of a V and fill them with straw or litter ; these 

 form a protection against the sharp winds which may 

 prevail, and which are so productive of those fatal 

 attacks of crook. About the third week in March is 



* A paper road before the Boroughbridge Agricultural Society 

 by the Secretarj-, Mr Thomas Scott. 



the best time for ewes in this backward district to begin 

 lambing. Having been marked in rotation as they 

 took the ram, those which are due first should liave 

 close attention, and, if convenient, should be put dur- 

 ing the nights in an airy house or yard with shelter, 

 and be seen at inten-als of an hour or so. In cases 

 of difficult parturition let nature guide the shepherd, 

 who should note the following, viz. :— Allow ample 

 time before rendering assistance, and never attempt 

 to extract a lamb without first having placed it in a 

 natural position, which must be done patiently, 

 cautiously, and dexterously. When much handlmg 

 is resorted to use black oils to prevent gangrene. If 

 the ewe appears debilitated give gruel with brandy or 

 other stimulants with gentle purgatives. An efficient 

 shepherd will not have triplets or pets, but will mother 

 a third lamb or one which may have lost its mother 

 upon a good nurse which has but one lamb. In cases 

 of straining from after-pains give laudanum and castor 

 oil. The stock of roots intended to be eaten on the 

 land upon which they grew, should be so calculated 

 that they are finished by the end of this month, so- 

 that their presence does not interfere with the opera- 

 tion of sowing the land with barley or other spring, 

 crops. Then arises the question, where can the re- 

 mainder of the roots be most advantageously con- 

 sumed ? I have tried three experiments, viz. : — Firstly, 

 on old sward, the result on which was that there was 

 no marked improvement in the yield of grass, and 

 unless folded and frequently changed the flock became 

 almost simultaneously lame from inflammation, which 

 ended in foot-rot. Secondly, on land intended for a 

 root crop, ^\■ith much more favourable issue than in 

 the previous case, and when the breaks were littered 

 with straw, a good crop of turnips followed, but they 

 were much more unsound than others grown and 

 manured in the ordinary way either in winter or at the 

 time of sowing. Thirdly, on wheat, the results of 

 which I have found to be more satisfactory, but which, 

 by the way, should be growai studiously for this objec"^ 



