PREPARING LAMBS FOR SHOW. 43 



frightened as soon as he presents himself. The most successful 

 men the writer has been brought in contact with, play and 

 faddle with their animals, and notice their daily growth ; and if 

 they are not doing as they would wish, change the diet somewhat, 

 or perhaps administer some corrective medicine. 



SHOW SHEEP IN APRIL, MAY, JUNE, &c. 



Roots have become scarce by now, but there is generally a fair 

 supply of mangolds, and these should be mellowed by exposure 

 to the sun. And it is even safer to finger them a day before they 

 are wanted. Mangolds may be safely given to the feeding ewes ; 

 but with rams there is considerable danger, if the weather is 

 very cold, and if the mangolds have not been well mellowed, they 

 are apt to produce the water complaint. So many valuable sheep 

 have, indeed, been lost by their use, that many breeders discard 

 them for their best sheep, and substitute a hardy white Swede, 

 (a native of Cotswold Hills,) supplemented with an early cut 

 of rye, grass, and clover, (pushed on with nitrate of soda,) kale, 

 winter vetches, cabbage, rye, &c., &c The great aim should 

 be to get a succession of green crops to follow : and though, 

 undoubtedly, they are costly to secure, it is of paramount im- 

 portance that there be no stint, as animals feeding for exhibition 

 should not suffer a check. 



Lucerne on suitable soil is an excellent green crop to grow for 

 young sheep. It comes to cut fairly early, and, with liberal 

 manuring, quite 4 cwts. can be had in the year ; while in a period 

 of drought it has many advantages, owing to the depth to which 

 the roots go down into the soil. 



PREPARING LAMBS FOR SHOW. 



These should be chosen with care, examining each lamb 

 minutely as to wool, skin, and other points characteristic of the 

 breed ; and, as a rule, early well-grown lambs have much the 

 best chance. Let the lambs selected be dipped at once, repeating 

 the operation a month or six weeks later. Give them as much 



