i()^ Essay on Sheep. 



and pease or Indian corn ground together should 

 not be spared. I prefer myself to make them, 

 or even wheat, corn, and rye, into bread, and 

 give him a slice three times in the day. This 

 is more convenient than giving loose grain, be- 

 cause, if your ram is as tame as he should always 

 be, he will receive it from the shepherd's hand, 

 so as not to render it necessary to take him up 

 to feed, which is attended with a great deal of 

 trouble. A little oats, or barley in troughs, or 

 Indian corn scattered over the clear sward, from 

 whence they will pick it up in single grains, 

 will bring the ewes in heart (if they have no 

 lambs) at any season that may be required. If 

 the flock consists of aged ewes, with moderate 

 care it will at least double annually. If a con- 

 siderable proportion are ewes that have their 

 first lambs, no care can prevent a loss of at least 

 fifteen per cent, upon those of the young ewes> 

 unless indeed the flock is very small. The 

 Merino ewes are less prolific than those of our 

 country, seldom producing twins. 



Salt, — I have mentioned that salt was con- 

 sidered by the Spanish shepherds as essential to 

 the health of slieep, and this sentiment is very 

 general in every part of Europe except in Eng- 

 'laml, whose situation renders the air sufiiciently 

 *alt. The same consequence from similar causes 



