H4 SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



and stand with their ears hanging and their backs up. The 

 footing is rendered insecure and slippery, and this becomes a 

 source of danger, especially upon sloping ground. If the 

 ewes are upon turnips the food becomes dirty, and the whole 

 appearance of both sheep and sheep-fold is one of desolation. 

 The shepherd sees the danger and probably warns his master, 

 and there is a rush to the hayricks in order to counteract the 

 mischief. In many cases, however, the evil is already done, 

 and the effect is seen either in slipping, or, subsequently, in 

 the birth of dead lambs, and the loss of ewes in lambing. 



These evils are easily preventable by the exercise of a little 

 forethought. The cropping of a farm can be so contrived as 

 to preserve a piece of old seeds or stubble as a back run. 

 Ewes can be folded upon grass or stubble, and have their 

 roots carted to them in limited quantity. Orders can be 

 given to remove the flock from sideling ground of sticky 

 character during wet weather, and to place them upon a dry, 

 level field. Attention to these important matters of general 

 management are most important, but are readily overlooked, 

 simply because changes of weather often find the farmer 

 unprepared, and the mischief is done before he has time to 

 turn round and face it. 



Flockmasters who have a range of unbroken downs or the 

 run of a park, are placed at an advantage in comparison with 

 those who are restricted to the limits of an ordinary farm. 

 We know of few pleasanter sights than to see a flock spread 

 over a wide extent of grass land or lying down on the dry and 

 elastic turf. Such ewes are likely to have luck in lambing. 

 Old seeds and old pieces of sainfoin may in a measure make 

 up for these advantages, and it is often with the object of 

 securing a healthy position in bad weather that such pieces 

 are retained. The contrast between such a lair and a close 

 fold upon turnips with the animals knee deep in mire is 

 enough to reveal the reasons for good and bad " luck." 



Longwoolled sheep require more room and greater freedom 

 than the Down breeds. These last may be run more thickly 



