p 



SHEEP. 



parts of the ifland, the middle or latter end of the fame 

 month may be more fuitable, provided the feafon be fa- 

 Tourable. But with the fatteninfj ftieep in the inclofiires, 

 it will moftly be necefl'ary to perform the work at an earlier 

 period, in every fituation ; as the great increafe of heat, 

 from the fetting in of the fummer weather, added to the 

 warmth of the fleece, becomes very oppreflive and injurious 

 to them, in their feeding and other properties. 



It is an excellent practice with many good fheep-farmers, 

 to clip off all tlie coarfe foiled wool about the thighs and 

 docks, fome weeks before the ufual time of wafhing and 

 clipping the rtieep ; as by this means the fheep are kept 

 clean and cool, when the feafon is hot, and with ewes the 

 udders are prevented from becoming fore. This praftice is 

 common with fome South Down fheep-mallers, as well as 

 in Yorkfhire. In the former fituation, Mr. EUman fells 

 his, as locks, at ^^d. per pound, having about four ounces 

 from each fheep. 



By fome it has been propofed to (hear (heep two or three 

 times in the courfe of the year, with the view of having 

 finer, as well as a larger quantity of wool ; but it is pro- 

 bable that fuch a pratlice can never be of any general ad- 

 vantage, though the trials that have been made in Northum- 

 berland in this wav feem to !hew that advantages may be 

 derived in both thefe intentions ; but the difadvantages in 

 refpeft to the (heep do not feem to have been fufficiently 

 attended to. And with the fame view, the clothing of 

 fheep has been had recourfe to. In experiments made in 

 this way in Scotland, the advantage in refpeft to wool is 

 ftated to have been very confiderable, and the expence not 

 more than jJ. per (heep. By having recourfe to this prac- 

 tice with that of the above, it has been fuggefted that 

 combing wool may be rendered fit for the purpofe of cloth- 

 ing, and at the fame time the mutton rendered more 

 valuable. The trials in thefe ways have, Ivowever, hitherto 

 been but few, and do not feem to extend. 



It may alfo be noticed, that in the general management 

 of (liecp, it is ufual, after the (hearing has been performed, 

 to mark the (heep with reddle, ochre, or fome fimilar fiib- 

 ftance ; and fome alfo cut the ear in different ways. The 

 marking with tar has been faid to be prejudicial ; but where 

 a fmall quantity is only employed, little injury can be fuf- 

 tained. And in almolt all the (heep diftricls of the king- 

 dom, except in Dorfetfhire, the tails of (heep arc (hortened, 

 which feems to be an ufeful praftice in keeping the animals 

 more clean behind, and of courfe lefs liable to be llricken 

 with the fly. It has, however, been fuggeited in the ninth 

 volume of Annals of Agriculture, that by this cuitom the 

 (heep may be rendered Icfs able to drive away the flies. 

 The general prevalence of the practice would, however, 

 feem to prove its bL-iiig of advantage. There is much dif- 

 ference in the manner of performing the bufiaefs in different 

 di(tri6ls, in refpedf to the length ; but four or five inches 

 being left, are quite fuflicient. It is ufually done while the 

 animals are young. In all (hecp-paitures the hedges (hould 

 be well cleared from briars, as their coats are often injured 

 by being torn by them ; and all forts of pernicious reptiles 

 (honld be as much as polTible deftroyed, and removed from 

 fuch land. 



Further, in refpeft to the bufinefs of caflrating or gelding 

 the lambs, it maybe performed anytime from the age of a fort- 

 night or three weeks to that of a month or fix weeks ; and 

 in fome diflrifts it is deferred to a confidcrably later period. 

 It is, however, the fafeft method to have it executed early, 

 as there is lefs danger of too much inflammation taking 

 place. But in all cafes, the lambs (liould be m a healthy 

 ftate, when it is done ; as under other circumltances, they 



are liable to be dellroycd by it. The operation is ufually 

 performed by the (hepherd, by opening the fcrotum or cod, 

 and drawing out the teflicles, with the fpermatic cord. 

 This he often does with his teeth, in the young date of the 

 animal. But where the operation is performed at a later 

 period, it is ufual to have recourfe to tlie knife ; the arteries 

 being taken up, and fecured by means of ligatures or the 

 fearing-iron. The bufinefs, if pofiible, (honld be done in 

 fine weather, when not too warm ; and the glided lambs be 

 kept in a dry, (heltered, quiet fituation, for a few days, 

 until the inflammation is gone off. If it (hould happen to 

 be wet at the time, it may be advifeable to have them under 

 fome fort of (helter, where they can have room to move 

 freely about. 



It is now well known that the mode of afcertaining the 

 age of thefe animals is chiefly by their teeth ; but they are 

 likewife fometimes named from the number of coats or 

 fleeces that have been (horn from them, as one-(hcar, two- 

 (hear, &c. The (heep of one-fhear having two broad teeth 

 before ; that of two-(hear, four ; that of three, fix ; and 

 that of four, eight ; which is full-mouthed, bee Age of 

 Sheep. 



And they have alfo diflFerent names in different difliifts. 

 After being weaned, the ram or wcdder-lamb is fometimes 

 termed hog, hoggit, teg or tag, during the whole of the firll 

 year ; and the female lamb, an eive or gimmer-laml, and 

 ewe-teg. The fecond year, the wedder has the title of 

 Jhiar-hog, or a tivo-toothed teg or tag ; and the ewe is called 

 a thaive, thave, or tiuo-toothed etve. In the third year, a 

 Jhear-hog, or fsur-toothed ivedder ; and a four-toothed ewe, 

 or ihaive. The fourth year, a. fix-toothed wedder, or ewe. 

 And in fome places, from the time of lambing till that of 

 falving, the males are called tup-lamhs ; and from that 

 period till the time of flicnring, tup hogs ; and ever after- 

 wards, tups ; the females in the fame order bei.Jg termed 

 ewe-lambs, ewe-hogs, gimmcrs, young ewes, old ewes. The 

 gelded male lambs, cajlriilcd lueddcr-lambs, weddcr-hogs, 

 dummonds, or dlnmonts, ivedders. Crones alfo lignify old 

 ewes ; and there are ieveral other provincial names, which 

 are explained in their proper places, under their different 

 heads. See Sheep, Names of. 



In the management ot this fort of ftock, it miifl be fuffi- 

 ciently evident that a great deal of the profit and advantage 

 mull depend upon having a careful attentive (hepherd, who 

 perfeflly undcrltands his bufinefs, and is at all times willing 

 to perform it. See Shephkrd. 



Sheep are fubjedl to a variety of difeafes, which fhould 

 be carefully attended to by thofe who have the care of fuch 

 fort of (lock, as foon as ever they (hew themfelves ; as a 

 very iliort time often renders them irremediable. The na- 

 ture of them, and the means of removal, are defcribed under 

 the proper heads to which they belong. 



The above accounts, obfervations, and details, may ferve 

 to afford the inquirer a general knowledge of the nature of 

 flicep hulhandry, and of the ufual methods of mar.agcment 

 which are required witli that fort of live-flock, as well as 

 the benefits and advantages which may be derived from it in 

 many different ways. 



Shkki", and their Varieties, chiefly in conneSion with the 

 lyoollen Manufafture, Hiflory of. Of all the animals that 

 have been domellicated liy man, none have rendered him 

 more eflential fervice than the iheep. A large part of the 

 food and clothing of the civilized world is fupphed by this 

 uleful animal. The culture, improvement, and manufac- 

 ture of its fleece, have condantly accompanied and marked 

 the progrcfs of civilization, both in ancient and modern 

 times. 



In 



