APPENDIX. 407 



them were so lame as to stand on their knees to feed. After two 

 or three applications they entirely recovered, and became very 

 fat, so much so, that I feared they would not breed. On the 20th 

 of Nov. I commenced feeding the ten wethers a few rutabagas, 

 and continued to increase the quantity until they consumed about 

 three bushels per day. They were fed as much hay as they 

 would eat. I sold them to one of our butchers, early in Febru- 

 ary, for ten dollars per head. After dressing, their carcases 

 weighed from 80 to 100 lbs. each ; and the mutton was gi-eatly 

 admired, and extolled for its high flavor, juicy and tender (juality, 

 by all who partook of it. Their fat, unhke the Bakewell breed, 

 lying on the outside, hke pork, was firmly mix-ed with the lean, 

 or marbled, as some term it. It is estimated by those who have 

 cooked the South Down mutton, that there is as much edible meat 

 on a saddle weighing 30 lbs., as there is on a saddle of Bakewell 

 weighing 40 lbs., as a great proportion of the latter finds its way 

 into the dripping-pan. 



I winter my sheep in yards with tight fences, and open sheds, 

 facing the east ; feed hay in board racks, under cover, and no gi-ain. 

 I put the bucks with the ewes about the 25th of October, so that 

 the lambs will come the latter part of March, and first of April. 

 About the first of March we begin to feed the ewes, say one bushel 

 of rutabagas to fifteen head, to induce a flow of milk. I have a 

 warm stable, where the ewes which are expected to lamb are 

 confined nights. The lambs are confined with their mothers until 

 three or four days old, when they are turned into the yard, and 

 seem to stand the cold as well as their mothers. 



This method, I am aware, could not be adopted where large 

 flocks of sheep are kept. Formerly, I allowed the lambs to come 

 in May, and used to lose some from the cold storms which usually 

 occur in that month. Lambs will stand severe cold, if dry, much 

 better than wet. Besides, we have more time to look after them 

 in March, than we have in May, when work in the field is press- 

 ing. Young ewes will not always own their lambs ; by having 

 them in yards they are more at our command. Another advan- 

 tage I found in having lambs come early was, that when first 

 turned to pasture the young lambs will feed on the young grass, 

 by which means their growth was much accelerated, and by the 

 first of July were fit to wean. 



The South Dowai sheep are very prolific, often producing twins, 

 and sometimes three lambs at a birth, and being good nurses, will 

 bring them up as well, if not better, than some other breeds will 

 one. A neighbor has ten half-blood South Dowti ewes, that pro- 

 duced last s^Diing twenty-one lambs, all of which he succeeded in 

 raising. 



My flock has generally consisted of breeding ewes, and when 1 

 have weighed their fleeces, they have averaged 3^ lbs. per head. 

 I had one buck, which at two years old gave me 6^ lbs. I have 

 sold my wool from 25 to 35 cents per pound ; but latterly had it 



