SHEEP. 



conftantly endeavour to preferve them in as pood condition 

 as poflible at all feafons. With the patture kinds of (heep 

 this is particularly the cafe ; and with the vk-w of accom- 

 plifhing it in the moft complete manner, it is ufeful to divide 

 them into different parcels or lots, in refpeft to their ages 

 and forts, as by that praftice they may be kept with greater 

 convenience and benefit than in large flocks together, under 

 a mixture of different kinds ; as in this way there is not only 

 lefs walte of food, but the animals thrive better, and the 

 paftures are fed with much more eafe. The advantage of 

 this management has been fully experienced in many of the 

 northern diflrifts, where they ufually divide the fhecp-Ilock 

 into lambs, yearlings, wethers, and breeding ewes ; and in 

 this method it appears not improbable that a much larger 

 proportion of Itock may be kept, and the Ihccp be pre- 

 served in a more healthy condition. 



The nature of the management with a breeding Hock is 

 that the fheep-mafter muit aft according to his circumflances, 

 fituation, and the capital which he poflelfes, either felling 

 the lambs to go to keep, fattening them for grafs-lamb, 

 fuckling them for houfe-lamb, or keeping them on to be 

 grazed and fold as ftore or fat wethers ; the ewes being fold 

 lean, as they are called, or fattened, as circumllancts, profit, 

 and convenience, may point out. Another praftice, but 

 which requires much capital, as well as knowledge, expe- 

 rience, and attention, is that of breeding and fattening off 

 all lambs, both wethers and ewes, efpecially where markets 

 for their fale, when fat, are conveniently fituated. But 

 where this fyftem is too extenfive, it may be partially aftcd 

 upon, varying the plan according to capital, circumitancc-s, 

 and the nature of the times. In which cafe, whenever ftore 

 ftock becomes extravagantly high, it is moftly a good way to 

 fell. But a method which is attended witli the leail trouble 

 and hazard, is that of parchafing a (lore flock, as lamb":, 

 wether?, and what are termed crones, or old ewes ; fome of 

 the lall fort often proving with lamb, may be fattened off 

 with them to good account. It is likewife often the cafe 

 that ewes are difpofed of in larnb, or with lambs by their 

 fides, in what are termed couples, in which circumilances it 

 is frequently a good praftice to make annu.'.l purchaies of 

 them, in order to the fattening of both, and felling them in 

 that Hate within the year. The fyflem of breeding can only 

 be had recourfe to with effeft and advantage in fituations or 

 on fanns, where there are extenfive trafts of land fit for the 

 palluring and fupport of thefe animals, but not the fattening 

 of them ; the more rich deep grafs-Iands being adapted to 

 their fattening, and thereby affording a better profit, efpe- 

 cially when quickly performed with a proper fort of this kind 

 of ilock, as that of good wethers. 



But in the purohafing of fhecp, which is often done from 

 very diltant fairs and markets, much care and circum- 

 fpettioii arc ncceflary, whatever the fort or intention with 

 which they arc bought may be. In thcfe cafes much ad- 

 vanta,re, efpecially when at a confiderablc difl:ancc, may be 

 derived by empliring a falefman upon the fpot. 



And the appearances which (hew the fhoep to be in a 

 proper found Hate of health, are a rather wild or lively 

 bnflvncfs, a bnlhant clearnefs in the eye, a florid ruddy 

 colour on the iiifide of the eyelids and what are termed the 

 eye firings, as well as in the gums, a faftncfs in the teetli, a 

 fweet fragrance in the breath, a drynefs of the nofe and eyes, 

 breathing eafy and regular, a coolnefs in the feet, dung pro- 

 perly formed, coat or fleece firmly attached to the flcin, and 

 unbroken, the fl<in ixhibiting a florid red appearance, efpe- 

 cially upon the brifket. Whtie there are difcharges from 

 the nofe and eyes, it indicates tlicir having taken cold, and 

 fliould be attended to by putting them in dry iheltercd 



fituations. This is a neceffary precaution alfo in bringing 

 them from one fituation to another while on the road. 



It may be noticed that, with (hoep-farmers, the common 

 praftice, except in particular inflances, has been to leave the 

 ewei for the purpofe of breeding without any feleftion ; but 

 where good flieep-flock is the objeft, much attention fliould 

 be paid in choofing fuch as are the moll perfed, and that 

 pofTefs, in the higheil degree, thofe qualities or properties 

 which are wanted, whatever the breed or variety of fheep may 

 be ; as it is only in this way that a good Ilock can be raifed and 

 preferved. And it is a bufincfs that fhould always be per- 

 formed at the time they are turned to the ram, if it has not 

 been done before ; and this is equally neceflary in regard to 

 the rams, that they may be adapted to the ewes. The 

 author of the Farmer's Calendar has obferved, that the late 

 duke of Bedford, in attending to this objeft, had every ram 

 with the lambs got by him the preceding year put in diftinft 

 pens, that he might not only examine them but their pro- 

 geny, previous to his deciding " what ewes to draw off for 

 him," which is certainly a method highly deff rving of imi- 

 tation by (heep-farmers in general. Such attention, united 

 with a careful feledtion of cull lambs, muft, the writer 

 thinks, keep a itock in a flate of progrcflive improvement, 

 proportioned to the accuracy of judgment, eye, and hand of 

 the farmer who praftifes it. And it is obferved in the Agri- 

 cultural Report of Norfolk lately publiflied, that Mr. Coke 

 readily aflifts, not only his tenants, but other neighbouring 

 farmers, in forting and felefting their South Down ewes, &c. 

 and diflributing them in lots to the rams according to the 

 fhapes and quaUties of each. He puts on his fhepherd's 

 fmock, and luperintends the pens, to the fure improvement 

 of the flock ; his judgment is fuperior and admitted. The 

 writer has feen him, and the late duke of Bedford, thus ac- 

 coutred, work all the day, and not quit the bufincfs till the 

 darknefs forced them to dinner. See Sorting Sheep-Jlock, 



Farther, it has been remarked in a late praftical work, 

 that the moil advantageous and proper age for ewes taking 

 the ram in the different breeds, has not been fully fhewn ; 

 but from a year to a year and a half old may be fufficient, 

 according to the forwardnels of the breed and the goodnefs 

 of the keep. Some judge of this by the produftion of 

 broad or fheep's teeth. It fhould not, perhaps, be done 

 while too young in any cafe. And in regard to the feafon 

 of putting the rams to the ewes, it mud be direfted by the 

 period at which the fall of the lambs may be moft defirable, 

 which muft depend on the nature of the keep which the par- 

 ticular fituation affords ; but the moft ufiial time is about 

 the beginning of Oftober, except in the Dorfetfhire ewes, 

 where the intention is fuckling for houfe-lamb, in which cafe 

 it fhould be much earlier, in order that the lambs may be 

 fufficiently forward. But, by being kept very well, any 

 of the breeds will take the ram at a much earlier period. 

 Where the rams are young, the number of ewes fhould 

 fcldom exceed fixty for each ram ; but in older rams a 

 greater number may be admitted without inconvenience, as 

 from one to two hundred ; but letting them have too many 

 fliould be cautioufly avoided, as by fuch means the farmer 

 may fuftain great lols in the number of the lambs. It is 

 found that the ewe goes with lamb about the fpace of five 

 months, confequently the moll common lambing-fealon is 

 March, or the early part of April ; but it has been obferved, 

 that in many of the more fouthern dillrifts, where fheep- 

 hufbandry is carried on to a confiderable extent, fome parts 

 of the cwc-llock are put to the rams at much earlier periodi, 

 fo as to lamb a montli or fix weeks looner ; a praftice which 

 is attended with much profit and advantage in many fituations 

 where early grafs-lamb is in great demand. It is ufual for 



the 



