296 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



come in in winter, they arc at once accustomed to take 

 a little. In the following summer there is an abundance 

 of grass supplemented with artificial food ; and roots, 

 hay, and artificials are supplied ad lib., in the second 

 winter after w^iich the animals begin to be sold out as 

 heifer beef. Five cwt. is a common weight at the 

 age of two years, and the price realised varies from 

 £14 : 10s. to £18. Although we did not get figures 

 by which we could estimate the cost of production, we 

 were assured that this is a most paying system of man- 

 agement, and considering the age and selling prices, 

 there can, Ave fancy, be no doubt about it. 



The sheep are all Shropshire Downs, with the excep- 

 tion of about fifty lambs bought in annually to supple- 

 ment the stock produced on the place, the 200 ewes 

 producing the remainder of the lambs. A little cake 

 is supplied in troughs on the grass to the ewes before 

 yeaning, and some mangels are given from the com- 

 mencement of January. The yeaning season runs from 

 February to April 1. The fields are well sheltered 

 Avith high fences made of stones and earth, and planted 

 Avith furze ; there are also yeaning sheds constructed 

 against the fences with hurdles, and covered on the top 

 Avith a thick thatch of furze, etc. After dropping, the 

 ewes get -^ lb. cake per head daily. Tliere is little or 

 no mortaUty during the process. Sixty of the most 

 forAvard of the progeny are sold fat as yearlings ; the 

 usual price is £3 : 5s., but this year it has fallen to 

 £2 ; 17s. per head. The remainder, save Avhat is re- 

 quired for breeding purposes, are sent out fat at two 

 years old. Mr. Law has found that it is a peculiarity 

 of a portion of the Shropshires, that they do not 

 thrive rapidly until approaching two years of age, when 



