SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 



323 



One notch over the left ear, (that which is on your left when the 

 face of the sheep is from you,) stands for 1 ; two notches over the 

 same, for 2. One notch under the left ear stands 



for 3. Three such notches carry up the number „;„„„, ^'S-^"- T„,>.,r 

 to 9. One notch over the light ear stands for 10 ; 

 two such for 20. One notch under the same stands 

 for 30 ; and three such for 90. Combinations of the 

 above (three notches under each ear) would carry 

 up the number to 99. These four classes of notches 

 which express all parts of a hundred, are shown in 

 the first of the annexed cuts. A sheep marked no. 44-1841. 



like fig. 17 would be No. 44. 



A notch in the end of left ear, as in fig. IS, ^^^ 

 stands for 100 ; in right do. 200. In addition to" 

 these there are on the same cut two 1 notches, one 

 3 notch, one 10 do., and two 30 do. Adding the 

 whole together, the sheep would therefore be No. 

 375. 



As the 100 and 200 notches, together, make 300, 

 no separate notch is required for the latter number. 

 The point of the left ear cut square oft', as in fig. 19, 

 cut, stands for 400 ; the point of the right cut square ''"=' 

 oif, for 500. The latter and the 100 notch would 

 make 600, and so on. 



The lambs of each year and each sex are num- 

 bered from 1. 



The age is expressed by round liolcs through 

 the ears, standing for the year in which the sheep No. 909—1848. 



is born. As there is no possibility of making a 



mistake of ten years in the age of a sheep, these marks are the same be- 

 tween each tenth year of the century. Between 1840 and 1850, no hole 

 would express 1840 : one hole in the left ear, 1841 ; two holes in the left 

 ear, 1842 ; one hole in the right ear, 1843 ; one hole in the right and one in 

 the left, 1844 ; one hole in the right and two in the left, 1845 ; two in the 

 right, 1846 ; two in the right and one in the left, 1847 ; two in each, 1848 ; 

 three in the right, 1849 ; none in either, 1850 — and the same for the next 

 ten years. Examples are given in the preceding cuts. In other words, 

 one hole in the left ear signifies 1, and one in the right 3, as applied to 

 the years between each tenth of a century — and the combinations of these 

 holes are made to express all the intermediate years, with the excejjtion 

 of the tenth. 



Every ewe, when turned in with the ram, should be given a mark (en- 

 tirely distinct from the mark of ownership) which will continue visible un- 

 til the next shearing. Nothing is better for this purpose than Venetian 

 Red and hog's lard, well incorporated, and marked on with a cob. The 

 ewes for each ram require a differently shaped mark, and the m^ic should 

 also be made on the ram, or a minute of it in the sheep-book. Thus it 

 can be determined at a glance by what ram the ewe was tu^jped, any time 

 before the next shearing. 



The holes in the ears, indicating the year, being the same on the whole 

 annual crop of lambs, may be made at any convenient time. The holes 

 are most conveniently made by a saddler's spiing-punch, the cutting cyl- 

 inder of which is about j-^g- of an inch in diameter. If too small, the holes 

 will grow up in healing. 



In numbering, it is difficult to prevent mistakes, if it is deferred until 



(643) 



