THE MANAGEMENT OF EWES UP TO LAMBING. 257 



Where the turnip fields are far from home (as is so often the 

 case on sheep farms), and where, from the nature of the soil, 

 the surface treads in wet weather, it is an excellent plan to 

 stack so much corn, either in the most sheltered corner of the 

 field or in one adjoining, as will suffice for the requirements of 

 the ewes whilst eating the turnips — not only for fodder, but 

 also to litter a fold in which they may lie at night. We thus 

 secure healthy lairs, and give the ewes a dry warm bed instead 

 of their having to remain often in water ; and at the same time 

 we also make a lot of good manure, which is very handy for 

 application. If forethought is exercised, we can so stack the 

 straw as to form one side at least of our fold (that which is 

 most exposed), and the shepherd has only to cut down as he 

 wants it. We have seen on the Cotswold hills this plan carried 

 out most successfully ; and even when the fodder was only 

 barley straw (the least nutritious of straws), the ewes will 

 assemble at the corner of the fold nearest the desired haven 

 long before the time they are to be admitted, and require no 

 driving, but hasten along, and are soon busily engaged at the 

 racks, where they quickly fill themselves with dry if not very 

 nutritious food ; and later on it was a goodly sight to see their 

 woolly forms covering the ground, in evident comfort and con- 

 tent. In the mornings, and before they are let out, they have a 

 fresh supply of straw. 



Order must be observed in the consumption of straw. Barley 

 and bean straw may be used in the earlier stages ; then oats, 

 which are more nourishing ; and, lastly, well harvested pea 

 straw, if that crop is grown. The latter, which is often little 

 inferior to fine hay, is reserved for the time when the ewes are 

 lambing, or shortly before. We think it is an excellent practice 

 to carry this straw as it is thrashed, and build the stack rather 

 long and narrow in the centre of the space intended for the 

 lambing pen ; it makes a shelter and helps to divide the pen. 

 The ewes can to a certain extent help themselves, and the shep- 

 herd supplies the racks with great facility. When sainfoin hay 

 is grown, and can be spared, a portion is most valuable for 

 lambing ewes. Our own practice, when managing the Royal 

 Agricultural College Farm at Cirencester, was to supply hay 

 once a day, and pea straw once ; in addition to which a moderate 



s 



