130 Sheep-Farming 



then sent on to roots, the lambs being allowed to 

 run forward. The lambs remain with the ewes till 

 some time in May, when they are weaned and then 

 go on to good sound grass till the fodder crops — 

 rye, vetches, or trifolium — are fit to feed. They 

 remain on vetches till about the end of June. As 

 most of the lambs are fattened, they receive as much 

 cake and corn as they will eat, the object being to fat 

 them off as quickly as possible. They receive about 

 one fourth pound to one half pound of cake or corn per 

 head per day, with, generally, some peas. With such 

 keep they would in a good season be fit to turn off 

 about the first week in April. The lambs born in 

 October and November receive good feeding and are 

 generally ready for the butcher when from ten to 

 twelve weeks old, when they average from ten to four- 

 teen pounds a quarter and go to the London market." 

 The breed of to-day is distinguished by the total 

 absence of black markings and by the horns in both 

 sexes. The best individuals are of the same mutton 

 conformation found in other breeds. The most 

 common objectionable features are found in the 

 shoulders and chests. The wool is shorter than in 

 most of the Down breeds, though usually the fleece 

 is quite dense and compact and the fiber averages 

 well in fineness. There is a tendency to lightness of 

 wooling on the belly, that gives an undue appearance 

 of lacking depth of body. The rate of increase is a 

 valuable character, running as high as one himdred 



