on Heavij and Light Land. 259 



shire Down ewes are very hardy, and, if we want marketable 

 tegs, we can get them by using a Long-woolled ram, Cotswold, 

 or Lincohi ; and such lambs can be either wintered or sold in the 

 autumn, Avhen they will prove very attractive to the light-land 

 farmer, who will bid high for such wool-growing, mutton- 

 making tegs. Some cross of this kind will often prove more 

 profitable than breeding pure stock. Of course this necessitates 

 our going to the breeding country for our stock ewes ; but there 

 are generally those who have spare ewes to dispose of, and, if we 

 take two lambs, and then feed, it will be as good a system as any 

 we know of. 



The way to increase our sheep stock on strong land is to 

 grow a greater breadth of summer forage, improve the quality 

 .of the grass by thorough drainage and manuring, so as to de- 

 velope a mixed herbage, and use a moderate quantity of artificial 

 food with chaff of hay and straw. 



I cannot concur with those who imagine that sheep cannot be 

 kept in a healthy condition on strong land. No doubt dry 

 upland will grow them faster, but they will do well on strong 

 soils, if properly managed. The question of selling our lambs, 

 either fat or in store condition in the autumn, or else of wintering 

 them, must depend on the proportion of arable land, and its 

 ability to grow good swedes and mangolds ; and also on the exist- 

 ence of suitable sheds and yards, with a sufficiency of straw. If 

 lambs are well summered it will answer to finish them off in the 

 house or yards, provided we have food ; but often the horned 

 stock will require all we can spare, and we must provide liberally 

 for the ewes during and after lambing. Clay land is often slow 

 in making a start, and we cannot feed vetches, &c., till near 

 June ; we have thus a long spring to tide over. 



There can be no question that under careful management sheep 

 will thrive faster in yards, than even on dry, light land, and con- 

 sume considerably less food. Mr. Alfred Huston, who has for 

 years thus wintered large numbers of sheep, believes that sheep 

 will pay better than beasts. He found that 6 tegs would tread as 

 much straw into manure as a bullock, and eat as many roots as a 

 store beast worth 12/. 10^. to 14Z. ; and that 1 acre of mangolds 

 (amount of crop not mentioned) kept 25 sheep from December 1st 

 to April 15, and that he made his mangolds pay 12/. lis. 3|rf. 

 per acre, and the hay and straw 3^. per head. Many people are 

 prejudiced against wintering sheep in fold-yards, on account of 

 their liability to foot-rot. If the feet are neglected there will be 

 lameness, which must seriously interfere with the animal's pro- 

 gress. The outer walls of the hoof constantly growing, and being 

 subject to no wearing action, will curl inwards, and lameness is 

 inevitable ; but if the feet are carefully pared close down when 



