BOESET SHEEP.] 



SHEEP, 



[doeset sheep. 



Lave retained their original distinction, as 

 their wool has been lengthened only by the 

 improvements made in breeding. The Dorset- 

 shire sheep is a breed of itself, although it is 

 now greatly encroached upon by the South- 

 downs. It is a valuable breed ; and where 

 pure, is entirely white, with a long and broad 

 face, and with a tuft of wool on the forehead. 

 The shoulders are broad and low ; the chest 

 deep ; the back straight ; the loins broad ; the 

 legs somewhat long, and the bone small. They 

 are a hardy and useful race, folding well, and 

 yielding excellently flavoured mutton. AVhen 

 three years old, they average from 16 to 20 lbs. 

 per quarter. "The great peculiarity of the 

 Dorset sheep," says Mr. Milburn, " appears to 

 be, that while other breeds receive the ram 

 only at one and the same season, the Dorset 

 will take hira all the year round, and even 

 while the lambs are suckling. There is thus 

 the power of supplying lamb at any season of 

 the year for the pampered appetite of the epi- 

 cure ; and vast sums are thus realised by those 

 who keep them for the purpose. Nor is this 

 peculiarity one which at all applies, as might 

 be supposed, to the mild climate, or favoured 

 pasturage, of Dorsetshire. The breed possesses 

 the same peculiarity in all parts of the country, 

 even in Scotland ; though it must be obvious, 

 that the rearing of lambs at the period of mid- 

 winter, is far more likely to proceed favourably 

 in the mild and genial south-west of England, 

 than in the colder and more northern climes. 

 The ewes take the ram in May, so that they 

 will produce in October ; and the early lamb at 

 Christmas, in Loudon, is obtained from this 

 late produce." These lambs are house-fed — a 

 practice which is not now so common as it 

 used to be ; but the manner in which it was, 

 and still is, partially pursued, in the districts 

 near the metropolis, has been thus described 

 by Mr. Middleton. He says, that "the ewes 

 are always, witliout exception, of the Dorset- 

 shire breed, and the early lambing species are 

 sought for, throughout the country, with great 

 diligence ; for it is thought that not more than 

 one in three will lamb sufficiently early for the 

 purpose. Those of large size, with white noses, 

 are most in esteem ; and anything like black 

 on that part would occasion their being re- 

 jected. The colour of the flesh of those lambs, 

 when butchered, is, also, a matter which, in a 

 714 



great measure, governs their value ; and, 

 therefore, those which can be warranted to die 

 fair always bear the highest price. This, evi- 

 dently, cannot be guaranteed when produced 

 by ewes which have been promiscuously pur- 

 chased at the fairs ; those breeders with whom 

 the sucklers usually deal, are, consequently, 

 careful in the selection of the rams, the issue 

 of which is said to be known by certain marks 

 in the mouth, even before any previous know- 

 ledge of their progeny. The rams and ewes 

 should be put together at such a time that the 

 lambs may fall at the proper season — say, 

 somewhere about Michaelmas — from which 

 period there is usually a succession of them, 

 until towards Christmas. The ewes, both 

 some time previously to this, and during the 

 whole period of suckling, are kept in a croft, 

 adjoining the lamb -house, and must be well- 

 fed, in addition to after-grass, cole, cabbage, or 

 any succulent roots which may be in season, 

 together with brewers' grains, pollard, ground 

 oats, or barley-meal, pea-meal, and linseed, or, 

 in short, any food which will best promote an 

 abundance of milk, and the consequent growth 

 of fat in the lambs. The lambs are separated 

 from their dams, and put into the house, which 

 should be well-littered with clean wheat straw, 

 a little of which should also be placed in racks, 

 with the ears downwards, in order to amuse 

 themselves, and prevent them from gnawing 

 each other's wool. Some chalk, baked in an 

 oven, should likewise be put in the troughs, 

 both in lumps and powder, in order to guard 

 them, as much as possible, against looseness ; 

 and the most scrupulous attention should be 

 paid to cleanliness, as they do not leave the 

 liouse until sent to the butcher. To prevent 

 them from playing, and thus insure quiet, 

 light is excluded from the house, until par- 

 tially admitted at such times when the dams 

 are brought to suckle them, which, in most 

 cases, is three, or even four, times in the day. 

 If the house, however, be large enough to ad- 

 mit of the ewes being allowed to remain with 

 them during the night, the usual plan is to 

 admit them at sun-down, and turn them into 

 the pasture soon after the dawn of day; in 

 which case, they should be again brought to 

 them about noon. The lamb-house is, how- 

 ever, generally too hot; and this successive 

 change from hot to cold is so very injurious 



