SHOW SHEEP. 



151 



with house-feeding, the practice has not extended very largely, 

 nor is it likely to. The cost of bringing bulky food to the sheep 

 precludes it, except in special circumstances, such as the prepara- 

 tion of sheep for exhibition, or the production of " house -lamb." 

 House -feeding tends to the improvement of the quality of the 

 wool, and the warmer atmosphere doubtless has an effect in making 

 the animals fatten more quickly. The wool is also kept cleaner 

 than when the sheep are fed in muddy folds ; consequently a large 

 proportion of the sheep exhibited are kept in the house. The sheep - 

 house should be well ventilated, and the floor kept dry and well 

 littered with dry straw, otherwise foot-rot will break out. House 

 lamb is riot so commonly produced as it was, as it is found the 

 lambs]thrive sufficiently well under ordinary circumstances. It has 

 generally been restricted to those which are born in autumn, and 

 are required to be killed at Christmas or soon after. 



A TRIMMING RACK WITH ADJUSTABLE BARS. 



Trimming for Shows. The preparation for showing is an impor- 

 tant matter. It is usual in the case of short-wool sheep to cut 

 the wool on the back, so as to leave a square level surface, and 

 also to cut in on other parts to give a good outline. Long -woo 

 sheep are less clipped into shape, the object in their case being less 

 to show the frame than the length and quality of the wool. In 

 preparing the short-wool sheep it is necessary to begin to level 

 the wool several weeks before exhibiting, and to go over the work 

 again at intervals. Under the regulations of most Agricultural 

 Societies sheep above one year old must have been shorn within 

 some fixed period, generally April 1, previously to being exhibited, 

 otherwise the wool would be left on from year to year, and would 

 not be truly indicative of the produce of the sheep under the con- 

 ditions in which they are generally kept ; there would also be a 

 want of uniformity in appearance which would be misleading to 



