ON WETHERS. .97 



time : the operator cuts off the two ovaries, and puts 

 back the ligaments and matrix ; he then makes a 

 seam of three stitches, at the opening, to close it ; he 

 passes the needle through the skin only, without its 

 entering the flesh, and leaves on the outside the two 

 ends of the thread, and puts a little grease upon the 

 wound. After ten or twelve days, when the skin is 

 cicatrised, the thread is cut at the middle stitch, and 

 the two ends drawn out to prevent suppuration : when 

 this operation is well done, the lambs feel it only the 

 first day ; their legs are a little stiff, and they do not 

 suck ; but on the second day they will appear as 

 usual. 



Q. What soil agrees best with wethers ? 

 A. In general, high and dry soils agree better with 

 sheep than low and moist ones, principally for rams 

 and wethers for keeping ; that is, for wethers not in- 

 tended for fatting. But moist pastures contribute 

 to fatten wethers, ewes, and lambs, and the corded 

 rams designed for the butcher. 



Q. In what soil should sheep of different ages be 

 put? 



A. Wethers three or four years old are profitable 

 only in soils having a great deal of feed ; but wethers 

 one or two years old may be profitable in soils, where 

 the pastures are not so rich. 



Q. When young wethers have been put into thin 



pastures, what is to be done with them when older ? 



A. They should be sold to people', who have better 



pastures, who will again sell them to others having 



such as are still better. In this way each draws the 



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