346 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



sight of the ewes and the use of proper precautions. As their 

 time approaches, which may be known by the springing of the 

 udder and the enlargement of the natural parts, they should 

 l)e put by themselves at night, in a warm stable or \vith others 

 in the same condition, and well looked after, late and early in 

 the day. They seldom need any assistance, nor should any 

 be rendered, except in case of wrong presentation, or feeble- 

 ness in expelling the foetus. In the former case, the shep. 

 herd may apply his thumb and finger after oiling, and push 

 back the young, and assist in gently turning it till the nose 

 and fore-feet appear ; and for the latter, only the slightest 

 aid should be- rendered, and that to help the throes of the 

 dam. 



MANAGEMENT OF LAMBS.. When lambing in the field, 

 only a few should be together, as the young sometimes get 

 changed, and the dams refuse to own them. This dificulty 

 is generally obviated by holding the ewe till the lamb has 

 sucked two or three times ; or they may be shut up together, 

 and the lamb rubbed with a little fine salt. The lamb does 

 not require nourishment for some hours ; but if the dam re- 

 fuse to lick it as soon as it appears, it must becarefully wiped 

 dry. If the weather be cold and the lamb is dropped in the 

 field, the shepherd should be furnished with large pockets 

 or a well-lined basket, in which it must be placed till the 

 ewe is brought to the shed. After the first day or two, the 

 udders ought to be completely drained of their milk by the 

 hand, so as to prevent swollen or caked bag. In case of de- 

 ficiency of milk, the lamb maybe supplied from a new-milcli 

 cow, by means of a sucking-bottle with an air vent, or it may 

 draw a part of its nourishment from another ewe, which 

 can be held while the lamb is sucking. It is sometime 

 necessary to substitute a foster-mother, in which case, the 

 ewe may be made to own the lamb, by milking from her 

 udder over the lamb and under his tail, rubbing it on well; or 

 rub the adopted lamb with the entrails and contents of the 

 stomach of the dead lamb, or cover it with the skin. If the 

 ewe proves a bad nurse, or it is desirable to bring the lambs 

 forward rapidly, they may be early taught to eat boiled oats or 

 other grain, cabbage, roots and tender hay. Lambs should 

 be well fed, as it is important to produce size, constitution and 

 perfection of form. The ewes and their young ought to be 

 divided into small flocks, and have a frequent change of 

 pasture. Some careful shephards adopt the plan of confin- 

 ing their lambs, and allow them to suck two or thee times a 



