^ 



58 The Shepherds' Guide. 



smaller close-wooUed sheep he should seek his 

 ewes. 



Hitherto, whilst our stock of Merinos were 

 small, and the price high, our anxiety to get on, 

 and make a flock as fast as possible, has induced 

 us to purchase lambs, and to put them as such to 

 as many ewes as they could cover : and perhaps 

 from similar motives the Danes, as Mr. Laysterie 

 informs us, have adopted the habit of putting 

 shearlings of eighteen months old, or even younger, 

 to ewes. But even this is much earlier than is 

 practised in any other countr}^ of Europe ; where 

 in general rams are not admitted to cover, until 

 they are two or three years old : and in some 

 countries they lay them aside again at seven or 

 eight. There is little doubt but that it would be 

 best to have patience until the ram has arrived at 

 maturity, which the Merino does not acquire at 

 soonest, until he is two years and a half old. When 

 put earlier, his own growth may be checked, es- 

 pecially if put to above 20 or 30 ewes : and the 

 pi oprietor may be disappointed both in the num- 

 ber and vigour of his lambs. 



But, both in this country and in England, very 

 old rams have been employed, and found to pro- 

 duce a healthy and vigorous stock. 



The same observations apply to ewes. None 

 should be employed before they are at least eight- 

 e*r.n months ; perhaps better at two years and a 

 hftlt old. Younger ewes produce small and weak- 



