160 SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



The memory of a shepherd for individual sheep is very 

 remarkable, and it is striking to note how quickly he picks up 

 this knowledge when he enters upon the duties of a new place. 

 It is also curious to observe how rapidly shepherd boys under 

 their father obtain this power of recognition and a memory of 

 faces. The master admires a lamb, and the shepherd pro- 

 ceeds to speak of its mother, and the circumstances under 

 which she was born, and to tell him that she was a late lamb, 

 and at one time gave little promise of her future excellence. 

 This other lamb, now growing into a fine specimen, and likely 

 to be of value as a sire, was that same little helpless thing 

 which the master had noticed, and told the shepherd that it 

 would never come to anything ; and this capital pair of lambs 

 are from that ewe which broke her leg in falling over a chalk 

 pit two years since. Or it may be that a ram lamb is chosen 

 out of a lot of a hundred or more for a certain purpose. The 

 master suggests marking it, but the shepherd protests that he 

 will know him again, and know him he will, without fail. 



In the same manner the shepherd's suggestions as to the 

 description of corn or cake required to push forward his sheep 

 for sale are sound, and worthy of attention ; and he will not 

 be led aside from his opinion by any quotable authority what- 

 soever. It must not, however, be inferred that shepherds are 

 infallible or that masters are to follow their shepherds' behests 

 entirely. A shepherd would make everything on the farm 

 bend to the requirements of the flock, but it is the master's 

 duty to see that all departments are equally well served. 

 Shepherds also care nothing about expense. They want cake, 

 they want hay and corn, the best pastures, the run of the best 

 root crops. They do not spare the master in their request for 

 hurdles, for troughing, for keep ; but the master must main- 

 tain a judicious firmness throughout, while he hears all that 

 his shepherd has to say on these subjects. 



Shepherds are somewhat antiquated in their ideas of sur- 

 gery, and are too liable to have recourse to bleeding and the 

 use of the knife. In their treatment of foot rot, of bad udders, 



