IS8 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



DECFMBKR 19, Is; 8 



EARLY LA. MBS. 



Farmers in tliis country have, hitherto, in order 

 to avoid tlie care necessary to rear lambs yeaned 

 as early as January or February, and the loss con- 

 sequent on want of attention, endeavored to have 

 their lambs dropped at as late a period as could be, 

 and they attain sufficient strength and hardihood to 

 endure the following winter. In this way, with 

 the ordinary mode of treatment, more lambs are 

 saved than would be were they to come at tlie early 

 period named ; but they arc not the second year 

 worth as much to the butcher, and their fleece will 

 be lighter than if dropped early. Still, unless 

 more food calculated to cause ewes to p^ive a sup- 

 ply of milk, such as turnips, rowen hay, or other 

 nourishing food, be provided ; and the diflerence in 

 price between early and late lambs is no more con- 

 siderable than it now is, perhaps the present course 

 is the best. But from the increasing inquiries 

 niade in our markets for early lambs ; the more gen- 

 eral consumption of mutton of all kinds among the 

 people generally; and the better prices that heavy, 

 early lambs, now command, «e are induced to be- 

 lieve that with a little precaution, farmers who 

 have flocks of the liardier kinds of sheep may find 

 it for their interest, to make the breeding of early 

 lambs a part of their business. The time required, 

 falls at a period when it is little available as a 

 source of profit in any other way, and might per- 

 haps be made of account in this. To show how 

 the business is managed abroad, we make the fol- 

 lowing extract from the Quarterly Journal of Agri- 

 culture, detailing the process as it is practised ex- 

 tensively in the county of Wicklow, for the Dublin 

 market 



" The flock of the lamb farmer consists almost 

 uniformly of 100 ewes, kept as well as his pastures 

 will admit of. Amongs those eight or ten rams 

 arc put in the beginning of June. Many of the 

 ewes will impregnate by the end of July, it being- 

 natural to this kind of sheep to take the ram at an 

 early period, and this tendency on their part, be- 

 comes periodical ; so that a much better chance bf 

 early lambs is had from being in the habit of breed-- 

 ing them from those untried. If, after this month, 

 any ewes seem not to have been tupped, the anxi- 

 ety of the farmer to obtain the high prices of the 

 early market, suggests the expedient of hurrying 

 the flock about the barn or a small enclosed yard, 

 till they are considerably heated and fatigued, at 

 which crisis a number of rams are introduced, and 

 the ewes treated in this manner, in most instances, 

 present the farmer, in the month of January, with 

 the expected result of his experiment. 



" The lambs at a fortnight old, are separated 

 from the dams, and placed in small pens in the 

 lamb house. This is by some constructed in three 

 apartments ; one divided into pens for lambs of dif- 

 ferent ages, the other two communicat^ig with this, 

 and also with the farm yard ; the one to receive 

 the dams of the lambs that are in the pens, the other 

 to receive the dams of those that have been sold 

 off. 



" Into these two divisions tjie ewes, as here dis- 

 tinguished, are respectively driven twice a day. 

 The dams of the lambs sold olT; or, as they may 

 be termed, the nurses, are brought out separately, 

 and held for the lambs to suck them. They are 

 then put away, and the lambs are let into the ad- 

 joining apartment to their own dams. While the 

 lamb is very young, it is Incapable of using much 

 milk, and the ewe will it is likely afford sufficient 

 for its sustenance ; but as it increases in strength, 



assistance from the cow becomes necessary ; and, 

 beginning with a quarter of a pint, each lamb, be- 

 fore it becomes sufficiently fat, will come to use 

 more than a pint of cow's milk at a meal, and that 

 twice a day, exclusive of the milk of the ewe. 

 The regular practice is to divide the twentyfour 

 hours by four equal periods, and to feed the lambs 

 with ewe's and cow's milk alternately, at intervals 

 of six hours. This for tlie time requires constant 

 attention, night and morning, and on that the suc- 

 cess of the feeding principally depends. This 

 attention must be directed to another object also, 

 as well as their feeding, unless great cleanliness 

 and regular warmth is particularly observed, the 

 lambs will never thrive. 



" The best lamb feeders have board floors to 

 their pens, contrived to let all moisture pass through, 

 and be drained away, so that the lambs lie always 

 dry and warm, upon wheat straw, which is prefer- 

 red to any other for tnis purpose. At about six 

 weeks old, or sooner, they are fit for the butcher, 

 and produce, according to the time of sale, from 

 20s. to two guineas and a half a piece, (from S4 44 

 to §11 80). The lowest prices take place late iu 

 the season, when the ewes have plenty of grass, 

 which increases their milk, and renders the assist- 

 ance of the cow unnecessary ; but at the early sea- 

 son, when the ewe's, milk would be so valuable, it 

 is unaccountable that some greater exertion is not 

 made to supply them with turnips, or other artifi- 

 cial food, which would preclude the necessity of 

 encroaching upon the dairy, at least to the present 

 extent. The foregoing method, includes all the 

 rules observed by the chief farmers in the lamb 

 trade, — a practice which has caused much wonder, 

 and the success of which has been imputed to such 

 various mysteries, but, except in the contrivance 

 of the barn, which is certainly made use of, the 

 whole is comprised in regularity and cleanliness. — 

 Genesee Farmer. 



PIGS AND PIGGERIES. 



The improvements which are annually taking 

 place in Agriculture, are seen and felt as much in 

 the attention that is now paid to the rearing and 

 fattening of good farm stock, as anything. 



We are pleased to see that the Ilog comes in 

 for a share of the attention, and there seems to be 

 at this moment a peculiar enquiry throughout the 

 whole Union, what breed is the best, and how can 

 they be best and most profitably managed .' 



The increased culture of roots, enables those 

 who raise large quantities of them to multiply the 

 tenants of the stye, inasmuch as they are enabled 

 to feed them and keep them in a healthy growing 

 state at a cheaper rate in many regions, by feeding 

 them with these, than they can by grain. The 

 hog seems to be a sort of omnivorous animal, that 

 is, like his friend, protector, murderer and devourer, 

 man, he can eat almost anything; but the food 

 which appears to be most congenial to him, is roots, 

 nuts and seeds or grain.s. 



That roots were designed to enter largely into 

 his diet, is plainly indicated by the formation of his 

 snout and his habits of using it. Give him a chance 

 and lie will soon demonstrate to you that he not 

 only knows where to find them, but how to dispose 

 of them. 



They are not so well calculated to fatten him as 

 they are to give him health and strength — to keep 

 him alive and active ; but they are a very useful 

 ingredient in the fattening process, and when com- 



bined with grain, may enter largely into his dii 

 while preparing him for slaughter. 



Fruits also, are very grateful to his palate, m 

 apples are now coming very generally into use, ; 

 an article of food for the swine of the farm. Cool- 

 ing his food, whatever it may be, has been fouu 

 by experience to be a great improvement. Henc 

 any one who may be desirous of rearing and fa 

 tening pork to the best advantage, should prcpar 

 a piggery or building, devoted exclusively for th 

 business. The style and fashion of this buildin 

 need not be very sjdendid, though every one ma 

 consult his own taste and moans, in regard to i 

 Three requisites, however, should be attended ti 

 viz : — It should be convenient — it should be wan 

 -- it should be tiglit and dry. The size should b 

 according to the number that you wish to kee 

 As a general rule in building or enclosing, a circl 

 will take the least stuff, and a square the next les 

 quantity, and a parallellogram more than eithe 

 For instance, a circle twenty feet in diameter, wi 

 require nearly sixtythree feet of fence or boards ' 

 enclose it. A square twenty feet each way, wi 

 require eighty feet, this will contain a little moi 

 area than the circle ; but a parallellogram whic 

 shall contain as much area as the square (400 fee 

 say forty feet long and ten feet wide, will requi 

 one hundred, feet to enclose it. 



A circle is somewhat difficult to construct, but 

 square is very easy. Suppose you erect a bui 

 ing twenty feet square and have your pens on tl 

 outside — three of the sides will give you spai 

 enough to accommodate and feed thirty swin 

 You can have your wood, steamers, boilers and ' 

 in the twenty feet room and feed them all witho 

 going out of the room by having a lid or trap do 

 to lift Uf and give you a chance to the trouwl 

 If you can have it placed on tlie side of a h 

 where water can be obtained easily, and have 

 cellar dug into the hill, the floor of which shall 1 

 on a level with the floor of your boiling room, 

 will be very convenient, but if not, a cellar belo 

 may be made in the usual manner and a granary 

 the cTiamber above. 



Some years ago there was a communication pul 

 lished in the American Farmer, from Mr Ingersc 

 of Roxbury, and subsequently in the Farmer ar 

 Gardener, respecting the management of a pigger 

 which gives the most systematic and methodic 

 manner of managing swine that we have anywhe 

 seen, and we shall publish it soon for the bene: 

 of some of our readers, who we know are seekir, 

 information on this subject Maine Farmer. 



(From ttie Maine Farmer.) 



EVERY FAMILY SHOULD KEEP A PIG 



Mr Editor, — T am not mucli of a farmer, bi 

 have done something at it, and will, with your leav 

 through the columns of your valuable paper, gi\ 

 your readers a statement of my success in raisir 

 pigs. 



I believe the business of pork raising, is nt 

 sufficiently attended to by moBt of our farmers, ar 

 the principal cause is, they do not reckon the profi' 

 or calculate the difference, between raising pork ar 

 beef. Pork is not only raised in less than ha 

 the time that is required to raise beef; but it yiek 

 a much larger profit. 



In July of 183(>, I purchased a sow pig, for whic 

 I paid $2, which I still keep. She has been prii 

 cipally fed on what slops and swill that has bee 



