130 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



off as a stocking is removed and rubbed with a little 

 salt to dry it and at once slipped onto the twin lamb 

 with the feet thrust through the holes where the for- 

 mer lamb's legs were. Introduced now to the moth- 

 er of the dead lamb, confined with her in a small 

 pen, it is not often that she will refuse at once to 

 own it. Ewes know their lambs entirely by scent, 

 and thus the odor of the skin tells her that it is 

 truly her own lamb that is with her. This skin may 

 be taken off after a few days. 



It is not good shepherding to permit a ewe to be 

 without a lamb sucking her when there are lambs 

 enough to go around, and usually there will be so 

 many twins among ewes of the mutton breeds that 

 there are enough lambs for all and perhaps 25 to 

 100 over. 



Occasionally a ewe will be found of so perverse 

 a disposition or so undeveloped in udder or mal- 

 formed that she will not raise a lamb at all. The 

 cure for her is to cut off half of one ear, which is 

 the " brand of Cain," and indicates that she is to 

 go to the butcher as soon as fat. 



A man in the West once sold for one dollar a re- 

 cipe for making ewes own lambs, either their own 

 or some others. Having paid my dollar I can testify 

 that there is merit in his plan, which is to care- 

 fully wash the lam]b, especially about the rump and 

 tail and on top of the head, removing thus all trace 

 of scent so far as possible. Next you are to catch 

 the ewe and milk upon the head and rump of the 

 lamb from her udder, rubbing it well over him, and 



