Essay on Sheep. 85 



ill your flock, or should any one be killed by;, 

 accident, strip off the skin from such lamb, and 

 cover with it either a twin lamb or the lamb of 

 ,a young ewe who does not appear to be a good 

 nurse, and shutting up the ewe that has lost 

 her lamb, she will generally take it as her own. 

 Should she refuse, she must be held for a day 

 or two, when she will adopt it. This is a com- 

 mon practice in Spain, where even half the 

 lambs are killed, and two ewes given to each 

 lamb. The fatigue they undergo in travelling 

 I presume has rendered this necessary. One 

 of my neighbours tried it last spring, upon my 

 recommendation, with success. If the lambs 

 come early, the ewes will be relieved, and the 

 Iambs strengthened by giving them fine hay 

 and bran, or any succulent food, such as cab- 

 bage, &c. In order to do this, and not suffer 

 their food to be eaten by the old sheep, I have 

 contrived boxes with a rack and manger within 

 them, and lids to put in their fodder. The 

 front of this box is of lath, so wide as to permit 

 the lambs to go in and out at pleasure, but too 

 narrow to admit the grown sheep. If it is 

 preferred to have the lambs come in April, in 

 that case no particular care is necessary, other 

 than that of providing a field of rye or clover 

 for the ewes. 



