Winter Care and Feeding. 45 



Station flock could not get as much exercise and 

 enjoy as much outdoor life, showing that the dif- 

 ference in the vitality of the lambs and the shorter 

 time they were carried must have been due to the 

 abundance of outdoor life and exercise the ewes 

 had. 



LAMBING TIME, THE SHEPHERD'S HARVEST. 



Lambing is perhaps the most critical time of the 

 year for the shepherd. At this season he is ex- 

 pected not only to be on strict duty during the day 

 time, but must also sacrifice a good share of his 

 night's sleep. The experienced shepherd knows 

 that his success and the percentage of lambs raised 

 depend in a great measure upon how closely he 

 watches with his flock at lambing time. In Eng- 

 land, for the sake of encouraging the shepherds to 

 take the best care of their flocks and new born 

 lambs, the owners pay an extra percentage for all 

 lambs raised, in addition to the regular month's 

 wages. 



EWES WITH TWINS AND TRIPLETS. 



As a result of proper mating and the thrifty con- 

 dition of both ram and ewe at the time of breed- 

 ing in the fall, a great many twins and even trip- 

 lets may be expected. When the lambs begin to 

 come, with their arrival all sorts of troubles pre- 

 sent themselves, not nearly so many, however, with 



