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AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
THE SHEEPFOLD AT YEANING TIME. 
Engraved for the American Agriculturist. 
The success of the shepherd during the lamb- 
ing season settles the profits of the year in a 
great degree. Though repeating a little which 
has been said in previous numbers, we would 
enforce the doctrine, that the letting-sheep-alone 
system is the proper one. The ewe is neither 
retiring nor sensitive in her habits at this sea- 
son, as a cow is when her time matures ; she 
never hides her lamb so that days may elapse 
before it is found, but seeks only a sheltered dry 
place, where ordinarily without much pain of 
body or distress of mind she drops her young- 
very often twins and not very rarely triplets. 
There ought always to be provided warm shel- 
ter within closed sheds or barns, or. though less 
desirable, in open sheds like those in the pic- 
ture above, on high dry ground, either floored 
or littered so as to keep the chill of the ground 
from the young lambs f Remember that though 
they may endure a good deal of cold un- 
der some circumstances, it checks their growth, 
while many can not stand it, and die. It is not 
advisable to have loose, long strawy litter, for 
the lambs get cast and tangled up in it. The 
litter should be short and pretty well trodden 
down. Now and then a ewe gets in trouble and 
needs assistance, but it is so seldom that it is 
hardly worth while to disturb a flock of sheep 
which are rather wild, by visiting them much at 
night. It is tru« also that those active breeds 
which are timorous and apt to start up and run 
and huddle when visited at night, are least apt 
to need any care. The Cotswolds and other of 
the heavy mutton sheep are most likely to need 
assistance. This should be rendered by an old 
shepherd if possible. A person with no expe- 
rience can only act as practical common sense 
dictates, and it is not worth while to lay down 
any rules. Sometimes a ewe's strength fails when 
her labor is protracted, and then a teacupful of 
malt liquor, or a little gin and water may 
be given at intervals, enough to stimulate and 
quicken the circulation. 
The lambs which are not lively and in good 
condition— those found chilled and stupid in un- 
comfortable places, perhaps wet and shivering, 
ought '.., receive the tenderest care of the shep- 
herd. He should always have at hand a bottle 
of fresh ewe's milk as near blood warm as may 
be, which should first be administered. "We have 
known farmers administer rum and molasses 
mixed with milk (a weak milk punch), in small 
quantities to weak chilled lambs with good re- 
sults. It sometimes happens from disease of 
the bag or from the flow of milk not coming at 
once, that a ewe can not suckle her lamb. In 
such cases the lambs must be fed from ewes hav- 
ing plenty of milk, or be removed altogether 
from their dams and given to others which have 
lost lambs or have plenty of milk, which by per- 
severance is usually accomplished without much 
difficulty.*' Lost lambs whose dams do not re- 
cognize them, must be provided for in the same 
way. When one lamb is substituted for anoth- 
er, the plan which saves all further trouble usu- 
ally, is, to cut off the head and legs of the dead 
lamb, slip off the skin and drawing it on over 
the substitute, tie it so that the licking and fond- 
ling of the ewe will not get it off, and turn it 
to the foster mother, who will almost invariably 
receive it, especially at night and after the skin 
has been worn long enough to be warmed 
through. The first milk that flows after yean- 
ing, is of a peculiar purgative character, not fit 
for lambs several days old, while very necessary 
for newly born ones, so that if these be deprived 
of it they are apt to contract diarrhoea after a 
few days, which is frequently fatal. If a ewe 
has twins at her first yeaning, unless she have 
an abundance of milk it is well to separate one, 
and this is best done after the second day. The 
flock ought to be watched to see that ewes with 
twins do not disown one, or that lambs and 
dams are not otherwise separated ; also care 
should be taken that strong lambs with vora- 
cious appetites do not suck .more than one ewe 
as they sometimes do, robbing others of what 
rightfully belongs to them. 
Green Food for Stock. 
Those who from having long been confined 
to a diet of salt junk and potatoes, sit down 
for the first time in the season to enjoy early 
grown greens, lettuce, and green peas, may un- 
derstand something of the longing which cat- 
tle and other stock feel for the return of grass 
feed in spring. It is, however, unwise to in- 
dulge them in a range of pasture, until the 
growth is well established. Pasture may be 
greatly injured by too early cropping, and by 
trampling while the ground is soft. No hoof 
should enter a meadow or grain field in spring 
time. Beets and carrots will now come to an 
excellent market if they are on hand. ^ It is 
well, where only a small quantity are raised, 
to keep them over for spring feeding. If none 
have heretofore been cultivated, the desire for 
them now, should lead to preparation of ground 
for a crop the present season. Plow deep, sub- 
soil if needed, manure thoroughly, and sow in 
drills 1} to 2 feet apart, according to the crop, 
the latter part of this or the first of next month, 
except for turnips, which are better left later. 
