MANAGEMENT FROM BIRTH TO WEANING. 267 



great value. They contain at this season much sugar, and 

 correct the laxative tendency of the clover. Mr. Rawlence's 

 practice, as described by Mr. Jenkins in his report of the 

 Bulbridge Farm, may be cited as an instance of successful 

 treatment. As a breeder of rams, a forcing system was 

 adopted : 



" After lambing, the ewes get mangolds with hay chaff for 

 about ten days in the lambing pens ; and, in addition to this 

 food, the ewes with tup lambs or with couples get either one 

 pint of oats or one pound of cake ; but, unless roots are scarce, 

 the remaining ewes are denied artificial food. At the expiration 

 of ten days or a fortnight the ewes and lambs go on turnips, 

 and remain there until March 20th. About this date the ewes 

 and lambs go into the water meadows by day, and are folded at 

 night on swedes, for the first fortnight or so, and afterwards on 

 Italian rye- grass, or occasionally on rye and winter oats which 

 have been sown where rye-grass has failed. This treatment 

 is continued until the middle of May, when the lambs are 

 weaned." 



This practice is excellent ; but we hear no mention of vetches, 

 which appear to us most valuable food for sheep on arable land. 

 By sowing successive crops in the autumn and early spring we 

 can secure continuous food from May to August; and, accord- 

 ing to our experience, lambs thrive very well indeed on such food 

 when taught to eat it. We have frequently weaned Cotswold 

 lambs on vetches, removing the ewes to a short pasture, or, as 

 is the practice in Hampshire, leaving them to follow, only 

 doubling the line of hurdles that separates. It is astonishing 

 how soon the maternal instinct disappears, especially if the food 

 is properly stinted. There is little difficulty about the milk ; 

 an abundant supply of rock salt should be provided, and the 

 ewes supplied with dry food. When the vetches are young they 

 are best eaten on the ground : in this case it will help matters 

 if tracks are cut, as less food is spoilt. Very soon the crop grows 

 to the stage when it should be cut and placed in racks. The 

 lambs may be educated to eat thus artificially by suspending 

 portions of the crop to the hurdles. The tender leaves are 

 readily eaten, and soon nearly the whole stem. 



The period for weaning varies according to the climate, 



