Report on the Agricultiii'e of Belgium. 
G5 
he imports from Eno^land about every second or third year. He 
departs also from the custom of the country in not drafting more 
than about one-fourth of his ewes every year. His crop of lambs 
is not much in excess of the number of ewes ; indeed, twins he 
dot's not like, because twin-lambs do not thrive anything like as 
well as singles. This was a wonderful contrast to a proprietor- 
farmer in the Pays de Waes, who kept Tcxel ewes simply 
because, on an average, they would yield couples each ! 
The ewes are put to the rams on grass about the end of 
August, the whole flock and the three rams together, the shep- 
herd taking them about from pasture to pasture. Later in the 
season they go on stubbles, either his own or a neighbour's 
(according to the custom of the country), and at night they are 
brought on to his own grass. About the end of November they 
are housed at night, being given ha}', turnips, and a little bean- 
straw ; and during the day they go on the pastures. This treat- 
ment is continued until the beginning of February, when they 
feed off kohl rabi on the land by day, and at night get the same 
food as previously in the bergeries, with the exception that they 
now get mangolds until lambing time, which begins at the end 
of the month. They lamb in the bergeries, and are fed with crushed 
corn or pulse — either beans, peas, rye, oats, barley, or cake — • 
whichever is the cheapest ; the allowance being 1 lb. per head per 
diem. Six weeks after lambing, both ewes and lambs go on the 
pastures, coming back to the bergeries at night ; but every night 
and morning the lambs are sent into another house, and get half a 
pound per day each, in the two meals, of cake or crushed beans 
or oats, with a little salt. The lambs are loeaned in July, being 
given grass and corn in the bergeries during the day, and hay at 
night. It will thus be seen that Baron Peers not only weans his 
lambs, but that he feeds his sheep more liberally than his neigh- 
bours, and that he thoroughly recognises the advantages to be 
gained by a daily change of food. 
4. Feeding-Sheep. — The feeding-sheep belonging to Baron 
Peers are commenced on grass and finished off with about lib. 
each of crushed corn per day in two meals, given in the bergeries 
at morning and evening, with hay during the night. They are 
got off daring the winter and sent to London alive, most of them 
being clipped first. The other sheep are clipped by the Baron's 
own labourers in the beginning of May. None of them are 
washed before clipping, as it is a thing not understood in the 
country. Dipping, also, is not practised ; but the Baron thinks 
it is advisible to do it every four or five years. 
Other farmers either sell their lambs lean or they do not keep 
breeding ewes. Comparatively few farmers both breed and feed. 
Feeding-sheep are bought clipped about April and sent on 
VOL. VI. — S. S. F 
