Essay on Sheep, 101 



cleanliness, and therefore have adopted it. In 

 England, however, it is seldom practised, but 

 very commonly in Spain. The castration is 

 performed in various ways; some prefer cut- 

 ting out the testicles, while others tie the scro- 

 tum so as to stop the circulation, and after four 

 or five days, when the parts are dead, they cut 

 it oiF just below the string, and tar the wound. 

 This is said to be the best mode, where the cas-^ 

 tration is to be performed on an aged sheep. 

 But great attention should be given to the wea- 

 ther: I lost six out of seven last year by having 

 It performed in warm weather on sheep of only 

 three months old. When the lambs are young, 

 cutting is the easiest and best mode; and if the 

 season is advanced when they drop, they may 

 be safely cut at ten days old; indeed, the ear- 

 lier it is done the finer will be the wool and the 

 flesh; but if rain or cold weather succeeds be- 

 fore they are cured, they should be housed, as 

 I have known them to die for the want of this 

 precaution. In Spain it is usual, instead of ei- 

 ther of these operations, to twist the testicles 

 within the scrotum, so as to knot the cord; in 

 which case they decay gradually, without in- 

 juring the sheep. 



When it is desirous to confine the breeders in 

 a flock to a less number than that of the ewes 



