SHEEP. 



>(reig^ht of tar, which will readily wadi out along with it from 

 the wool. Lewis's Com. Phil. Tcchn. p. 361. 



FjllEEV-Pens, the divifions made by the fmall moveable 

 gates or hurdles, which are fet up to keep (beep in fome 

 ])articular fituation. They are ufiially formed Ofi a dry 

 place, about the corners where different iiiclofures of the 

 pafture kinds meet, fo as to be convenient for the whole. 

 They are ufeful in examining and feledtiner the fheep, bcmg 

 divided fo as to contain about three dozen flieep each, as 

 by this means they are always at the command of the flicp- 

 herd for any purpofes he may have in view. The bot- 

 toms fiiould be firm and dry, fo that the fheep may not be 

 foiled. 



Pens or coops are likewife made and ufcd in the pounds 

 where the ewes are lambed or put, in fome fheep diftritts. 

 Thefe are ufually about two feet feven or eight inches in 

 the fquare, into each of which one ewe and the Iamb are put, 

 and fuckled, where there is a difinclination in the ewes to let 

 their own lambs fuck, a"? occafionally happens, and where 

 itrange lambs are put to them. Two of the fide-boards of 

 thefe pens are capable of being lifted up and let down lo as 

 juft to admit the ewes ; in which they move with difficulty, 

 confequently are not able to reach the lambs to beat them 

 away ; by which means they thus find an opportunity 

 of fucking againft the wills of the ewes. Thefe pens are 

 therefore often very convenient in thefe cafes, two of which 

 are mollly kept in each lambing-ground or yard. See 

 SllKEP- Pound. 



SnEEP-Pouiid, any fort nf narrow inclofure for the con- 

 fining of flieep. Pounds of this kind are of many diflerent 

 forts, and ufeful for fcveral different purpofes in the manage- 

 ment of flieep-flocks, as thofe of lambing, catching, forting, 

 and drcffmg them in different wayp, &c. They fometimes 

 occupy pretty large fpaces of ground, but at other times arc 

 only of very fmall extent. 



Sheep Rubblng-po/ls, the fmall polls and pieces of wood 

 which are fixed up in fhcep-jiaftures for them to rub thcm- 

 felves againft. They are fometimes fimple upright polls, 

 but at others they have crofs pieces put through them. They 

 are very neccfiary and ufeful to the animals. See RuB- 

 BIXG-Pj/?. 



SilEEi'-5^v7/v, the fliears ufed in clipping or fliearing of 

 fheep. They are frequently termed wool-fliears. They are 

 made with a fpring bow in the handle part, which caufes them 

 to open readily in working with them. The handle part u 

 moflly about fix inches in length, and that of tlic blade about 

 five ; but fliears of tiiis kind vary much in fize in different 

 places. 



Shee!'-W/h, or Pclty the common covering by which the 

 flieep is furrounded and defended. The flcins of thefe ani- 

 mals differ much in tliicknels, li/.e, and other properties, ac- 

 cording to the nature of the difPerent breeds. Sheep pelts, 

 or fltins, fometimes form an article of great utility and profit 

 to flieep-farmers, being fold to the fell-mongers, or other per- 

 fons in their nciglibourhood, under conllant contrafts by the 

 year, at different prices ; as from the time of fliearing to 

 Michaelmas, at from u. to \s. (ill. ; from that until Shrove- 

 tide, at from zs. to 2/. C)ii. ; and from Slirovetide to flicar- 

 ing-time again, at from 3,f. to t^s. 6d Something of this 

 method is pnrfued by the South Down flieep-farmers in the 

 fale of their Ihcep-lkms, as well as by thofe of feveral other 

 great flieep diftrids, by which great advantage often arifes. 



SlIFJil' JVnJhin^-HnoLs, the long-handled hooks whicli 

 are made ufe of in wafliii.g fheep in fome places. The hooks 

 arc in thefe cafes fixed .U the fmall ends of the long handles, 

 in feveral different forms, as in that of fomewhat the manner 

 of an S ; that of two fmall forts of half circles, with a little 

 4t 



llraight portion in the middle, to which the handle is joined, 

 and, in fhort, quite llraight portions. They arc very ufeful, 

 in fome inllances, in guiding and direAing the fheep in this 

 bufinefs. 



SHEEi'-2"arr/, any fort of inclofed yard or place in which 

 fheep are confined and kept, either for the purpofe of bring- 

 ing forth their young, feeding, or fattening. Thefe forts of 

 yards are now becoming pretty general hi many fheep dif- 

 tricls, as well as fome other places. They are made in fe- 

 veral different ways, according to the nature of the fituatioa 

 and other circumflances ; and are often capable of being 

 formed in eafy, cheap, and convenient methods. See Sheep- 

 Fold, and SnEEP-Hou/e. 



It is flated in the Agricultural Report of the County of 

 Oxford, that at Clifton, Mrs. Latham has one of the moll 

 complete fhecp-yards in it : a fhed furrounds three fides of 

 it, ill which are racks and troughs for the fheep to take their 

 food from ; it is thirty-one yards in length and fixteen in 

 breadth ; the fheds being five yards broad. This flieep-yard 

 does very well for two hundred ewes. The ewes are ufually 

 brought into the yard from four to fix weeks before the 

 lambing-time, and continued in it until that is over, going 

 out however in the day-time. This is faid to be confidered 

 as a very excellent method, but attention mufl be paid in it, 

 that the dung does not accumulate, as by its fermentatioa 

 the fheep are liable to be injured. It fliould, of courfe, be 

 carted out in a repeated manner. When not removed fo. 

 often as to prevent its taking on heat, it has alfo been found, 

 in Eifex, to prove dangerous to lambing ewes, as well as 

 ewes and lambs. 



The fheds may be raifcd on the fides of thefe yards fo as 

 to ferve as fences alfo. Stubble, haulm, and other fimilar 

 matters, may likewife be made to form warm walls as the 

 out fide fences of them. 



All yards of this fort fiiould be kept conflantly well 

 littered with fuitable fubftances of that kind, upon found- 

 ations laid with good earth, fand, or fome other proper 

 material. 



In fome large fiiecp diflri£ls, as the South Down, in SufTex^ 

 the farmers have fometimes two or three of thefe yards, which 

 are well Iheltered for the flieep to lie down in at night, in 

 very rainy and ftormy weather. In fome inflanccs a yard 

 of this nature, including the flieds, comprehends a fpace of 

 not lefs than three hundred and fifty-five fquare yards ; the 

 fheds around which are about four yards wide. The whole 

 are kept, for the moll part, thoroughly well littered down. 

 They arc commonly extremely warm, and found to prefervc 

 many lambs in bad weather. The whole of the circum- 

 ference around them, in fome cafe?, has a rack for contain- 

 ing hay. 



In the Dorchellcr diflrid of the firll of the above counties, 

 natural grals being extremely fcarce, tlraw is given in large 

 quantities to fiieep, as foon as ever the frofly mornings come 

 on ; barley-ftraw is had recourfe to in thefe yards, or in Hand- 

 ing pens ; and afterwards bean and pea-llraw, which they arc 

 very find of: they pick off the pods and tops, and do very 

 well with thefe fubltances. Thefe forts of ffraw are occa- 

 fionally carted to the field for their ufe ; and what they do 

 not confume, brought back to the yards ; a praAice which 

 is purlned to the laving a great many tons of hay. SiicU 

 dung as is made in this way is found to be very good. 



Peas may likewife be applied in ihefc yards, or other 

 ways, in fattening lambs, the mothers of which arc at turnips. 

 They are piven in trouglis, fix or eight weeks after the lamb* 

 have'bcen dropped. By the lambs having the liberty of running 

 tiirongh the openings in the hurdles, where the field mode 

 is followed, it is often fome time before ihey will take lo this 



fort 



