KIT 



LAM 



239 



tation the seeds of weeds, and the 

 larvas of insects are destroyed ; 

 and the more putrid the dung, the 

 greater effect it has in promoting 

 the rapid growth of plants. But 

 too much manure, especially if it 

 be of a fetid kind, gives vegetables 

 a strong and disgusting fiavour. 

 Sea weed is said by Sir John Sin- 

 clair, to be an excellent manure for 

 garden crops, particularly for 

 onions. "• Soaper's waste, says the 

 same author," used in moderation 

 by itself or in a compost with earth, 

 is an excellent manure for garden 

 soils. This substance not only de- 

 stroys insects and their larvae, but, 

 consisting principally of calcareous 

 matter, every species of vegetable 

 is greatly improved in quality, 

 where it is applied. Cow dung 

 mixed with water, is a good ma- 

 nure, when frequently applied in a 

 liquid state. 



" Slugs or snails are very destruc- 

 tive in a garden. Slacked lime or 

 sifted coal ashes, spread on the 

 surface, or laid in rows, in various 

 places, are useful in destroying 

 them. 



" Skilful gardeners recommend 

 attention to a rotation of crops, and 

 occasionally fallow portions of their 

 gardens, or to lay them down with 

 clover, which seldom fails to re- 

 store them to their former fertility. 

 The most experienced horticultu- 

 rists are now agreed, that even the 

 currant, gooseberry and raspberry 

 quarters should be changed every 

 seven or eight years, and the straw- 

 berry ground every four or five 

 years." Code uf ^Agriculture. 



L. 



LAMBS, the young of sheep. 

 The first care of them is to see whe- 

 ther they can come at the teat ; 

 and if not, to clip away the wool 

 of the ewes which hinders them, as 

 also all tags of wool on the udders 

 of the ewes, which the lambs are 

 liable to take hold of instead of the 

 teats. 



If a ewe refuse to let her lamb 

 suck, she and her lamb should be 

 shut up together in a close place, 

 till she grow fond of him. For this 

 purpose, some say that surprising a 

 sheep with a dog will be etTectual. 



Care should be taken to feed the 

 ewes plentifully after yeaning, and 

 with some juicy kind of food, that 

 so the lambs may not fail of having 

 plenty of milk. The rams may be 

 gelded at any time from one to 

 three weeks old, if they appear to 

 be vvell and strong. 



They should not be weaned till 

 they are six weeks, or two months 

 old. At this age they should beta- 

 ken from the ewes, and have the 

 best of pasture during the first fort- 

 night; by the end of which time 

 they will be so naturalized to living 

 wholly upon grass, that they may 

 be turned into a poorer pasture. 



The worst wooled lambs, and bad 

 coloured ones, and those that are 

 very small, should be destined to 

 the knife, and not weaned. So great 

 is the need of increasing the ma- 

 nufacture of woollen in this coun- 

 try, that I must earnestly recom- 

 mend it to the farmers, not to kill, 

 or sell for killing, any lamb, till it 

 is near half a year old, or till the 

 wool become to such fulness of 



