100 Essay on Sheep. 



compelled to have this operation performed in 

 the heat of summer, and to take oft' the horn, 

 which was very large, within two inches of the 

 skull; and though it bled freely, the ram did 

 very well, and seemed not to feel any inconve- 

 nience from the operation after the bandage 

 was applied. It would be desirable to obtain 

 sheep without horns, not only to avoid the trou- 

 ble of cutting them, but because they are dan- 

 gerous to the ewes in the fold, inconvenient to 

 the sheep if they feed from racks, and frequent- 

 ly fatal to each other; for in the rutting season 

 they will fight with such fury as to occasion 

 the deatli of one of the combatants. Few of 

 the Spanish Merinoes are found hornless; when 

 such are found, if they are equally perfect in 

 other respects, they should be preferred. I 

 have one of this description, of fine size and 

 figure; but the materials that should have form- 

 ed his horns appear to have been transferred to 

 his hoofs, which grow out to the length of six 

 or eight inches, and must be cut at least twice 

 in a season, or they render him lame; the cut- 

 ting, however, is attended with little difficulty, 

 and no danger. 



Most people observe the season of shearing 

 for docking, castrating, and marking their 

 lambs. 1 believe the docking contributes to 



