SHE 



SHE 



381 



Unck, the forehead broad, the eyes 

 Jarge and black, the tiose short, the 

 neck thick, the body long, the back 

 and rump broad, ttte teslicles large, 

 and the tail long : That the beet 

 are white, with a large quantity of 

 wool on the bell), tail, head and 

 ears, down to the eyes : That the 

 best sheep for propagation, are 

 those which have most wool, and 

 that close, long, silky and white ; 

 especially if, at the same time, 

 they have a large body, a thick 

 neck, and are light footed." 



He says, " that ewes fatten very 

 fast during their pregnancy; that 

 as they often hurt themselves, and 

 frequently miscarry, so they some- 

 times become barren ; and that it 

 is not very extraordinary for them 

 to bring forth monstrous produc- 

 tions. But when properly tended, 

 they are capable of yeaning during 

 the whole of their life, or to the 

 age of ten or twelve years. But 

 most commonly when they come 

 to be seven or eight years old, 

 they begin to break,, and become 

 sickly ; and that a ram is no longer 

 fit for propagation after eight years, 

 at which time he should be knit, 

 and fattened with the old sheep." 



According to the same writer, 

 "sheep should in the summer be 

 turned out early in the morning to 

 feed ; and in four or tive hours, 

 after watering, be brought back to 

 the fold, or to some shady place. 

 At four o'clock, P.M. they should 

 be turned to their pasture again, 

 and continue there till evening; 

 and were it not for the danger of 

 wolves, they should pass the night 

 in the open air, which would ren- 

 der them more vigorous, clean, 



and healthy. As the too great heat 

 of the sun is hurtful to tticm, shady 

 pastures are host for them ; or else 

 to drive them to a place with a 

 western descent in ihe morning, 

 and the contrary towards evening." 

 That their wool may be saved) 

 they should not be pastured in 

 bu.^hy places, or where there are 

 briars. Sheep are often" thus de- 

 prived of most of their fleeces ; 

 which besides the loss of the wfiol, 

 is very hurltul to the animals, wlien 

 the weather is not warm. 



The above writer directs, " (hat 

 every year a flock ol sheep shoiiid 

 be examined, in order to tine! out 

 such as begin to grow old, and 

 ouyht to be turned ofl'for fattening. 

 As they require a particular ma- 

 nagement, so they should be put in 

 a flock by themselves. They 

 should feed while the grass is mois- 

 tened with dew in the morning. 

 Salt should be given them to excite 

 thirst, as the more they drink, the 

 faster they will grow fat. But to 

 complete their fattening, and make 

 their flesh tirm and solid, they 

 should have some corn or grain 

 given them." They may be fat- 

 tened in the winter; but it is com- 

 monly too expensive, as they will 

 require a good deal of richer food 

 than hay. When sheep are once 

 become fat, they should be killed ; 

 for it is said they cannot be made 

 fat a second time. The teeth of 

 ewes begin to decay at five, those 

 of wethers at seven, and those of 

 rams not until eight. 



We shear our sheep in general 

 too early in this country. In Eng- 

 land, where the spring is more for- 

 ward than in this country, the ap- 



