27G 
Agriculture of Hertfordshire. 
Fattening Lambs for the London Marltet. 
On a stock-farm of 300 acres about 200 Hampshire evves arc 
bought in July or August. They are kept on stubbles and 
layers as long- as the feed lasts, and are then removed to the tur- 
nips. White turnips are considered best for milk at the first 
stage ; but later, when the lambs begin to eat, swedes are pre- 
ferred, as being sounder and better food both for them and the 
ewes. Hay-chaff is always given before lambing. Lambing 
commences in the middle of December, and should be over by 
the middle of January. The lambs fall in a fold, and, if strong, 
are removed with their mothers to the turnip-fields in a lew days. 
As soon as the lambs begin to cat they are supplied with cut 
swedes, oil-cake, beans, and cut-clover chaff, ad libitum. Oats, 
maize, and white or partridge peas are partially used. The ewes 
are also supplied with an unlimited quantity of similar food, oil- 
cake being preferred. The object is to sell them as soon after 
the swedes are finished as possible, since clover and summer 
forage arc too valuable for hay to be spared for them. As soon 
as the lamb is of an age to eat freely, the ewe begins to thrive 
fast, and with such liberal treatment is fat by the middle of May. 
The best plan for late feeding is to remove the swedes or mangold 
to the stubbles and clovers. 
The horned Dorscts, which are sometimes kept, drop their lambs 
a month earlier than others. A few of them arc sometimes mixed 
with a Down flock, under the impression that they incite them 
to earlier breeding. They are more prolific than other breeds, 
and their lambs are larger, but only make the same price per 
head as the Downs : 5 stones of 8 lbs. is a fair average weight 
for the latter, and nearly 7 stones for the Dorsets. 
Of late years 34.s. to 35s. per head has been the average price 
of well-managed flocks, the first sales of the best lambs reaching 
40s. The lambs were formerly all sent to market in one-horse 
carts, and arc still frequently so conveyed. The sales commence 
at twelve weeks old. The Oxford Down ram has been tried 
lately, and also the Shropshire, but Southdown rams are pre- 
ferred ; close-coated lambs fatting faster, and selling more freely. 
The essentials in a good ram for this branch of breeding are, a 
deep and heavy carcase, good quarters, and short wool. 
Management of Heavy Land. 
. The greatest extent of heavy land is found in the northern 
half of the county, and south of the Hitchin and Royston chalk- 
hills. 
Of this tract the eastern half is the heaviest and purest clay, 
