ON LAMBS. 89 



that his head may be shaded by his body. In England 

 they put lambs stiffened with cold into stacks of hay, 

 or into an oven heated with straw only : lambs have 

 been thereby saved, which have suffered so much 

 from the cold, as to have scarcely the appearance of 

 life. The lamb is made to take a spoonful of warm 

 milk, or if necessary, a spoonful of beer, or of wine 

 and water. It is fed by the fire side for some days, 

 and if it continues feeble, is put with its mother into 

 a covered or close place, until recovered. 



Q. What is proper to be done with lambs, which 

 do not come till the end of April or in May ? 



A. They are not kept in the flock, because they 

 are feeble and small, but are fatted for eating. It is 

 easy to fat them, because they come at a season when 

 there is a great deal of feed : these are the first lambs 

 from young ewes, and the last from the old ones. In 

 France they have the name of tardons, or late com- 

 ers ; and in England, cuckolds, because they come in 

 the season, in which this bird sings. 

 Q. How are lambs fatted ? 



A. They are kept in the fold, where they suck their 

 dams night and morning, and during the night. In the 

 day time, while their dams are in the field, they allow 

 them to suck the ewes, which have lost their lambs, 

 and fresh litter is given them once or twice every twen- 

 ty-four hours. A large lump of chalk is placed for 

 them to lick : the chalk prevents them from scouring, 

 to which they are liable, and which hinders them from 

 fatting. When the male lambs, which are for fatting, 

 are fifteen days old, they should be cut or castrated, 

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