86 EUROPEAN SHEEP. 



the lamb, as soon as it is cleaned, together with its mother, 

 in a separate pen, which has been before prepared. The 

 ewes which have lambed should, during a week, be driven 

 neither to water nor to pasture ; but low troughs of water 

 for this purpose are to be introduced into each partition, in 

 order that they may easily and at all times quench their 

 thirst. 



" It is also very useful to put a small quantity of barley- 

 meal into the water, for by this means the quantity of ewes' 

 milk is much increased. When the lambs are so strong 

 that they can eat, they are to be separated by degrees from 

 their mothers, and fed with the best and finest oats, being 

 suffered at first to go to them only three times a day, early 

 in the morning, at mid-day, and in the evening, and so to 

 continue till they can travel to pasture, and fully satisfy 

 themselves." 



Although rigid attention is bestowed on these sheep 

 during winter, yet they are not quite the hot-house objects 

 which, from the remarks of Mr. Carr, the reader would in- 

 fer. On the authority of Mr Youatt, although the sheep in 

 Saxony and Silesia are housed at the beginning of winter, 

 yet they are turned out and compelled to seek, perhaps un- 

 der the snow, a portion of their food whenever the weather 

 will permit; and the season must be unusually inclement 

 in which they are not driven into the yards at least two or 

 three hours during the middle of the day. The doors and 

 windows also are frequently opened, that the sheep-houses 

 may be sufficiently ventilated. This is the practice as far 

 north as Sweden. 



Very great care is taken by the Saxon flock-master in 

 the selection of the lambs which are destined to be saved in 

 order to keep up the flock. " When the lambs are weaned, 

 each in his turn is placed upon a table, that his wool and 

 form may be minutely observed. The finest are selected 

 for breeding, and receive a first mark. When they are one 

 year old, and prior to shearing them, another close -exami- 

 nation of those previously marked takes place ; those in 

 which no defect can be found receive a second mark, and 

 the rest are condemned. A few months afterwards a third 

 and last scrutiny is made ; the prime rams and ewes receive 

 a third and final mark, but the slightest blemish, is sufficient 

 to cause the rejection of the animal. Each breeder of note 

 lias a seal or mark secured to the neck of the sheep, to de- 



