366 THE SHEEP OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



September, after having been carefully examined to see that the 

 wool is even and good, and that each animal is in all respects 

 fit for breeding purposes. Care is taken to select a ram with 

 points calculated to correct any defect in the ewes, and only dis- 

 tantly related, so as to avoid too close breeding, which here, as 

 elsewhere, tends to reduce size and weaken the constitution. 

 A studbook is kept, in which the number of each lamb is entered, 

 when born, also its sire and dam. After the ewes are tupped 

 they are all put together, and kept in one flock on grass. About 

 a fortnight before lambing time they are yarded at night, both 

 for protection and to enable the shepherd to attend to them. 

 Lambing usually commences early in February. As soon as 

 they are recovered from lambing, the ewes and lambs are put 

 on turnips, upon which, with hay chaff, and a little bran and 

 cake, they do very well until the end of March, when the turnips 

 are usually finished ; they are then put on rye, rye grass, and 

 then on to the permanent pastures. About the end of May, or 

 the beginning of June, the lambs are separated from the ewes, so 

 as to allow the ewes time to recover from the effects of suckling 

 their lambs before they are shorn, which usually takes place 

 in the latter end of June, or the beginning of July. The ewes 

 then live on the grass till tupping time. The ram lambs, when 

 separated from the ewes, are shut up in sheds, and fed on hay 

 chaff with a few oats or cake, so as to have them always prepared 

 by dry feeding for shipment to the colonies, they being only bred 

 for exportation. 



The value of the wool from the flock at G-rays is quite equal to 

 the best colonial when clean washed. The general practice, 

 however, is not to wash the sheep clean, as it is found preferable 

 to sell the wool in grease, rather than subject the sheep to that 

 process. It is very gratifying to know that the enterprise of our 

 countrymen at G-ray'sis bearing good fruit, and that the value of 

 Sturgeon merino rams has recently been duly acknowledged in 

 the Cape newspapers, from which we make the following brief 

 extracts. In the Empire of February 26, 1886, in a leading 

 article, after proving by the opinion of competent judges that the 

 merino sheep are best adapted to South Africa, the importance 

 of three points is insisted on : (1) wool, large quantity and 

 quality ; (2) abihty to thrive on poor pastures ; (3) adaptability 



