SUMMER CARE AND MANAGEMENT 191 



leaves, and if not enough are planted for him and 

 you also he will reap the entire harvest at an early 

 date. They may be thinned after beginning to vine. 

 It is particularly desirable to have the ewe flock 

 thriving and increasing in flesh at time of breeding. 

 Not only will the lambs conceived at such a time 

 be of superior weight but there will be a larger 

 number of twins among them. 



CARE OF THE FEET. 



When the sheep are turned to pasture in the 

 spring their feet should be carefully trimmed and 

 shortened. It is easier to do this if they are per- 

 mitted to go in the wet grass for a day or two and 

 are taken in while their hoofs are yet soft. They 

 will at such a time cut like cheese, whereas if they 

 are trimmed when dry they will be very horny in 

 texture. 



Nature evidently intended the sheep for climbing 

 over very rocky soil where the feet would be sub- 

 jected to rapid wear. It is probable, too, that in se- 

 lecting individuals for their superior wool growth 

 the horn growth of the feet has kept apace with the 

 wool growth in some degree, since there is a rela- 

 tionship between horn growth and wool. In any 

 event it is very unlikely that with the amount of 

 travel needed on arable farms the sheep will suffi- 

 ciently wear down their feet to relieve the shep- 

 herd of need to trim them twice a year, and with 

 some breeds more often. 



Unless the feet are kept trimmed they will be- 



