A YEAR WITH THE EWES. 109 



first row, being held in position by stakes. In doing this, the 

 straw becomes held up between the double rows, and effectually 

 blocks out the wind. Hurdles are then laid from the top of the 

 back row to the line of battens to form a roof. A covering of 

 straw is placed on these, and on this another layer of hurdles is 

 laid and secured. A substantial roof is thus obtained in a very 

 short time. 



This shelter should be placed round all the pens, and a division 

 to contain each ewe and lamb for a few hours after lambing should 

 be provided by making partitions at each hurdle's length along the 

 north and east sides. A line of hurdles placed at right-angles to 

 the row will do this, and the front of the division can be closed by 

 another hurdle. Each division will then be a hurdle square. A 

 few only of these divisions need be provided for the older lambs, 

 where they are useful in times of sickness. When the lambing 

 season advances and the lambs require less shelter, the straw from 

 the walls and roof is utilised, the destruction of the yard being 

 brought about gradually. In other districts other methods of 

 protecting the lambs are adopted, but the one next most serviceable 

 to that described is that used on the large farms in the eastern 

 counties, where, instead of stuffing the hurdles in the way described, 

 two rows are set up about 3 ft. apart, parallel to each other, and at 

 right-angles to these, other hurdles are set to form small pens. The 

 space between the double row is filled in with straw, and to afford 

 shelter, poles are laid on the dividing hurdles reaching half-way or 

 more along them. The straw is spread over the poles, and formed 

 into a roof which is roughly thatched. The principle of the pro- 

 tection is thus a long narrow stack, with the eaves carried 

 over to a considerable degree. The straw used for protection 

 becomes available for litter subsequently. Rows of bushes or 

 wood are occasionally set up to break the force of the wind. 

 The use of sheltering cloths attachable to hurdles has come into 

 vogue, and they form an efficient and easily erected shelter, 

 whether in the lambing pen or in the open field. In arranging 

 the yard the ewes which have not lambed may be kept on 

 the north side of the straw stack, and the young lambs placed 

 on the south side. The straw stack is best built long and 

 narrow. A haystack should have been built near, and the shepherd 

 requires a portable hut in which to sleep and to keep medicine 

 and corn. When the ewes are short of milk, a cow kept in the 

 yard is useful ; in fact, the ewe's failure must be made good by 

 the cow. It is well to point out, however, that cow's milk is often 

 objected to by shepherds. Cow's milk rarely injures, though by 

 giving the milk out of bottles rarely cleansed, covered inside and 

 out by putrid milk, doubtless instances of harm frequently arise. 



Ewes require a good " fall back " or space on which to rove. It 



