204 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the " pure-breds " of all kinds ; and, with present indications, 

 it would seem that the United States would, before long, 

 export sheep to Europe for breeding purposes. 



Already has Japan, as well as Australia, and some of the 

 countries of South America, ordered cargoes of Merinos. 

 There never was a more promising time for sheep-breeders 

 than the present. 



Having obtained the cross-breed, then decide whether you 

 will raise early or late lambs. If " early lambs," then cross 

 the Cotswold-Merinos with a pure-bred Southdown ram ; 

 but if for late lambs, to sell from grass to the butchers in 

 the months of July and August, or keep for winter feeding, 

 then continue to use a Cotswold ram. 



Never allow the lambs to remain with their mothers after 

 August. 



I believe that many of our sheep-raisers might attribute 

 their failure in sheep-husbandry to the fact of allowing the 

 lambs to draw from the ewes until the time to put their flocks 

 into winter-quarters, or deliver the lambs to the feeders. 



The method of weaning lambs is simple and easy. 



Having first secured a good pasture for the lambs, you can 

 get your flock to the barn in the morning, and separate the 

 lambs from the ewes, immediately taking them to the lot as- 

 signed, together with a few dry or barren ewes to keep them 

 quiet. Never allow the lambs to suckle the mothers after the 

 first separation, as this only retards the weaning process. 



Should the ewes have a large flow of milk, keep them in 

 the barn, or near by ; so that their bags can be examined, 

 and, if necessary, the milk drawn therefrom. 



If desirable, after two weeks' separation, the ewes and 

 lambs can be turned into the same lot, without any fear of 

 the lambs attempting to suckle the ewes. 



I have said that the lambs should be weaned in the month 

 of August, assuming that the lambs were dropped not later 

 than April, or the middle of May. Of course this rule would 

 not apply to those ewes which delight in raising two crops of 

 lambs in a year, the second crop not appearing until about 

 the middle of July. 



All of the latter ones should be allowed maternal care 

 until put into winter-quarters. 



The raising of late or grass lambs is much more exten- 



