192 MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



"The most remarkable proof of the early maturing properties 

 and the fecundity of the Hampshire can he gathered upon again 

 referring to Mr. De Mornay's report : 'Three ewes, each having 

 two lambs by their side, were bred to one of the rams in the flock 

 which could not have been more than three months old, and the 

 three ewes gave birth to six more lambs in August, one having three 

 lambs.' He also mentions a ewe which gave birth to two lambs in 

 the month of January. She lambed again early in July, when she 

 gave birth to two more lambs, making in all six lambs dropped by 

 this ewe within a year. The produce (one year's) from this indi- 

 vidual ewe realized $125, leaving one yet unsold. 



"Undoubtedly the Hampshire ewe lamb, on account of her 

 precocity and fecundity, can be profitably bred without the least 

 ill effects, provided the food and care supplied is of the right 

 standard. So far as constitution goes, nothing need be feared." 



CONTROLLING THE SEX. 



A good deal of discussion has taken place one time and an- 

 other on this interesting question. About eighty years ago an 

 interesting experiment was tried in France with a view of gaining 

 light thereon. At a meeting of the Agricultural Society of Se- 

 verac, held in July, 1826, it was proposed by a breeder, who had 

 formed a theory as a result of experiments, that tests should be 

 made. He suggested that young rams should be put to the ewes 

 from which the greater number of ewe lambs were desired, and 

 the flock put on the richest and most abundant pasture, while to 

 obtain a majority of ram lambs strong old rams should be used 

 and the ewes put on rather inferior pasture. Two members of 

 the society agreed to try the experiment, and in due course the 

 results were announced as follows : 



From flock for ewe lambs, served by two rams 15 months and 

 2 years old : 



Sex of Lambs. 

 Ages of Ewes. Male. Female. 



Two years 14 26 



Three years .16 29 



Four years 5 21 



Five years and over 18 8 



old: 



Total 53 84 



From flock for ram lambs, served by two rams 4 and 5 years 



