MATING AND FEEDING. 70 
mate. Subsequently, those of them that had produced 
lambs early were bred when practicable, while yet in the 
sheds, but subsequently to the disposal of their lambs. To 
hasten the time of mating, stimulating grain food such as 
barley and wheat, accompanied with a moderate supply of 
roots, was fed with some freedom to the ewes after they had 
been dried. In many instances, but not in all, ewes would 
mate within a short period after they had been fed thus. 
Subsequently to their being turned out on grazing, it was 
noticed that the ewes would not mate until a considerable 
period after leaving their winter quarters, and this, notwith- 
standing that the grain food was continued. This arose, 
probably, in part at least, from that reduction of the system 
which usually follows in a greater or less degree, when ani- 
mals are turned into succulent grazing in the spring. In 
some instances, but not many, the ewes would mate too 
early in the season if allowed to do so. It was not con- 
sidered desirable to have the lambs dropped before October 
1st, as otherwise they become too large and heavy to take 
the market readily by the time that winter lambs are in de- 
mand. No attempt was made to breed them twice a year, 
as, under our conditions, there would seem to be no good 
reasons for thus taxing the powers of the ewes so severely, 
such breeding would be pretty certain to result in reduced 
stamina, and it would bring the second crop of lambs into 
the market at a time when the price of mutton is usually 
low. 
In the winter the ewes were kept in sheds with small 
yards attached. Unless in extremely cold weather, both 
ewes and lambs had easy access to sheds and yards during 
the day. No attempt was made to keep the lambs anv 
warmer than the other sheep of the flock, except from birth 
until they were a few days old. Both ewes and lambs were 
fed with much freedom until the latter were sold, but the 
ewe lambs to be retained for breeding were not as a rule 
pushed along so rapidly. Owing to local market conditions 
the lambs were not always marketed at the proper age. 
Some had reached too large a size and too old an age to 
command highest prices. In summer, the ewes and lambs 
retained for breeding were grazed on pastures other than 
