1054 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE Part IIL 



715ft In breeding from too ditfinet races, \\ bject lata acquire new properties or remote defects. 



The mode of effecting this b; croai b attended with greater difficulties than in breeding Iron 



the tame race I be very distinction ol breeds implies a considerable difference among .'inini.il> in several 

 respects; and although the desirable property be obtained, it maj be accompanied by such others as are 

 by no means advantageous to a race, destined to occupj a situation which had excluded tint property 

 from one of its parental l'<> cross anj mountain breed with Leicester rams, for example, with a view to 

 mi ,i propensit) to fatten it an early age, would be attended with an enlargement of size, wh ch the 

 mountain pasture could not support ; and the progeny would be a mongrel race, not suited to the pastures 

 oi either of the present breeds. If the object be to obtain an enlargement ol size, as well as a propensity 

 to htten, a> is the case when Cheviot ewes are crossed with Leicester rams, the progeny will not prosper 

 on the it ill ^ pastures of tinir dams, and w ill be equally unprofitable on the better pastures of their sires. 



ii ({spring of tins cross succeeds well on those intermediate situations on the skirts of the Cheviot 



bills, where, though the mi ler pasture is not rich, there is a portion of lowland for producing clover 



ami turnips. Supp, EncyC, Brit art. dgr, 



7151. -Is general rule* m trotting breeds, it is to be noticed that in every rase where the enlargement of 

 the carcass i- the Object, the cross breed must be better fed than its smaller parent. The size of the jii- 

 rents should also be but little disproportioned at first; ami when some increase has been produced, one or 

 more crosses afterwards may raise the breed to the required size. With these precautions, there is little 

 reason to tear disappointment, provided both parents are well formed. [General Ji.jiort of Scotland, 

 vol. in. p IV is 



I'he moat advantageous and proper age for eves taking the ram in the different breeds has not 

 been fully shown ; but from a year to a year and a half old may be sufficient, according to the forward- 

 ness Of the breed and the goodness of the keep. Some judge of this by the production of broad or sheep's 

 teeth It should not be done while too young in any ease. Ewes commonly bring their first lamb when 

 two years old ; in the hilly and mountainous districts of Scotland commonly not for a vear after. Of 

 course, they are usually eighteen or nineteen months old when they take the ram, throughout all the 

 lowland districts. 



In regard to the season of putting the rams to the eires, it must be directed by the period at which 

 the fill of the 1. nubs may be most desirable, which must depend on the nature of the keep which the par. 

 ticular situation affords; but the most usual time is al>out the beginning of October; except in the Dor- 

 setshire ewes, where the intention is suckling for house-lamb, in which case it should be much earlier, 

 in order that the lambs may be sufficiently forward. Hut, by being kept very well, any of the breeds will 

 take the ram at a much earlier period. Where the rams are young, the number of ewes should seldom 

 ed sixty for each ram ; but m older rams a greater number may lie admitted without inconvenience, 

 as from one to two hundred; but letting them have too many should be cautiously avoided, as by such 

 means the farmer may sustain great loss in the number of the lambs 



7154. With respect to the period of nest, it ■on, the ewe goes with lamb about the space of five months, 

 consequently the most common lambing season is March, or the early part of April; but " it has been 

 i. creed that in many of the more southern districts, where sheep-husbandry is carried on to a consi- 

 derable extent, some parts of the ewe-Stock are put to the rams at much earlier periods, so as to lainb a 

 month or six weeks .sooner; a practice which is attended with much prolit and advantage in many 

 situations where early grass-lamb is in great demand. It is usual for the rams to remain with the 

 ewes for a month or six weeks, and in some cases longer, in order to complete the business of im- 

 pregnation, which in some districts is ascertained by smearing the fore-bows of the rams with some 

 colouring substance." 



7 155. The practice Qf turning a number of rams among the flocks formerly adopted is highly exception- 

 able, as tending to prevent the main object and injure the rams. A better' way is to let each ram hav t a 

 proper number of ewes, and with very choice stock to keep the ram in an enclosed small pasture, turning 

 a few ewes to him, and as they are served replacing them with others. By this means there is more cer- 

 tainty, and more ewes may be impregnated. In such sort of fine stock, it is likewise of great utility to 

 keep the rams during this season in a high manner. In this view a little oats in the straw, or a mixture 

 of barley and pea meal, are excellent. Where ewes are backward in taking the ram, the best means to bo 

 employed are those of good stimulating keep. The rams should always be continued with the ewes a 

 Sufficient length of time. 



7 i.'jii. The ewe wilt breed twice a '/ear, if it be made a point to produce such an effect by attention and 

 high keep; since she will receive the male indifferently at any season, and, like the rabbit, very soon after 

 bringing forth. Lisle gives an instance of three of his ewes, well kept, lambing at Christmas, fattening 

 off' their lambs at Lady-day, and producing lambs again the first week in June. It seems they stole the 

 ram immediately after lambing, but brought the second time only single lambs, although of a breed that 

 generally produces twins. There is no doubt but the sheep would produce young thrice a year were the 

 ba.l practice resorted to, which has been so currently recommended with the rabbit, of allowing the male 

 immediately after parturition ; the ready way to render both the female and her progeny worthless. 

 Could the lambs he advantageously weaned at two months, sufficient time would, he conceives, remain 

 lor the ewe to bring forth twice within the year. For example, suppose the young ewe tupped in August, 

 the lamb would be dropped in the middle of January, anj might be weaned in mid .March, the ewe again 

 receiving the ram on the turn of the milk, like the sow, perhaps in or before April, she would then bring 

 forth within the twelve months or in August. This plan would, continues Lisle, at least injure the dam 

 infinitely less than suckling during gestation. 



7157. When ewes air hi iamb the// should be kepi in the pastures, and as free from disturbance as possible, 

 b ing carefully attended to in order to prevent accidents which are liable to take place at this time, such 



as ■ of their being cast in the furrows, &c. Where any of the ewes slip their lambs, it is advised by 



Banister that they should be immediately removed from the flock. They also require, under these cir- 

 cumstances, to be kept as well as the nature of the farm will admit, in order that there may be less loss at 

 latnbing-time from tin' ewes being stronger, and the lambs more healthy and better capable of contending 

 with the state of the season at which they may be dropped The shepherd should at this period be parti- 

 cularly careful and attentive to afford his assistance where it maybe necessary. He should constantly 

 have regard to the suckling of the lambs, and to see that the udders of the ewes are not diseased. His 

 attendance will often be required in the night as well as the dav. At this season covered sheep-folds are 

 often of very great advantage in saving ami protecting both ewes and their lambs. 



715& /« respect to the number of lambs at a birth it is remarked by Lawrence, that the ewe brings most 

 aonly one, next in degn e ol frequency two, rarely from three to five lambs at a birth. This property 

 ■ ii double birth is, he says, m some instances specific ; the Dorset sheep usually yeaning twins, and the 

 Luge polled Belgic sheep, with their descendants our Teeswater, doing the same, and producing occasionally 

 more at a birth. Other breeds bring twins in the proportion of one third of the flock, which is supposed 

 to depend considerably on good keep. A certain number Of ewes per centum prove barren annually : the 

 cause very rarely natural detect , sometimes over-fatness, a morbid state of body from poverty or neglect 

 of the ram; ill other words, want of System in the shepherd. 



The keep if sheep after lambing, where rich pastures or other kinds of grass lands cannot be 

 reserved, should consist ot turnips or other kinds of green food provided for the purpose, and given them 

 in a suitable manner; but where it can be done, it is always better to leave this sort of food untouched till 

 about the period of lambing, when it should be regularly supplied in proportion to the necessity there may 

 be lor it. The ewes also demand at this time much care to see that they are put upon a dry sheltered 

 pasture, free from disturbance, and that neither they nor thvir lambs sustain injury from the too great 



