CHAP. II. EXPERIENCES IN SHEEP FEEDING. 509 



land where the mangel has been drawn. A few kohl rabi are generally 

 sown with the mangel, which are left for consumption by the ewes. 

 After this they generally consume the cabbage sprouts, and are then 

 supplied with some dry food. Approaching lambing time, they are 

 placed in comfortable yards at night, and have a supply of chaff and 

 straw, with some bran, oats, and mixed cake. Previous to lambing, I 

 give them as few roots as possible. 



" After lambing, they run upon grass adjoining the yards, and when the 

 lambs are strong enough, they are placed upon the roots, with lamb 

 hurdles for the lambs to run forward on the tops, and have a suppty of 

 bran, oats, and cake crushed very small. I think it desirable to get 

 them out of the yards as soon as possible : this of course depends upon 

 the weather and the strength of the lambs. After the turnips are con- 

 sumed they are placed upon winter oats and tares, or the grasses until 

 the clovers are ready, the ewes being plentifully supplied with mangel. 

 The lambs are weaned in June, and are placed as soon as possible on 

 the aftermaths of clovers and grasses, when a supply of cabbage is drawn 

 to them, which generally lasts until September, when a few white 

 turnips of an early variety are ready for them, upon which they are 

 folded at night. The feeding tegs get permanently settled about the 

 middle or latter end of October upon roots, which are sliced for them, 

 and have a supply of clover chaff and \ to f Ib. mixed cake and split 

 peas, which is increased as the season advances to lib., being then 

 composed of mixed cake, split peas, beans, peas, maize, and a little 

 malt. The ram tegs are somewhat more generously treated. The 

 breeding ewe tegs get a good supply of clover chaff and about \ Ib. of 

 mixed corn and cake. The feeding tegs are ready for market between 

 February and April, being between twelve and fourteen months old. 

 Those sold in the former month are in the wool ; those in April are 

 shorn, and weigh from 10 to 12 stone, and as they are of excellent 

 quality they command a good sale for the London market." 



Mr. T. S. Minton's custom with his well-known flock of Shropshires 

 is to have the lambs arrive in February and March. During March, 

 April, and May the ewes and lambs are on seeds one and two years old, 

 the ewes receiving a few mangel at first and the lambs a few split peas (in 

 a pen made on purpose in the centre of the field) during the latter part. 



In June the lambs are weaned and put on a sweet pasture, receiving 

 a small allowance (two or three ounces) of corn, where they remain 

 until the clover aftermath is ready, which generally lasts them July 

 and August. For the last few years the custom has been to shear 

 the lambs in June, on the ground that they grow better, are not 

 troubled much with the fly, and keep so much cleaner when on the 

 turnip land in winter. 



In September lambs go on to the young seeds on the cleared barley 

 stubbles, still receiving their corn ; there they remain until the middle 

 of October, when they are gradually moved on to white turnips, where 

 in the course of a week they remain altogether, and now receive a 

 quarter of a pound of corn and some clover hay in racks. The hurdles 

 are moved daily, and the lambs bite their own turnips for the first 



