296 
JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 9, 1891. 
THE LAMBING SEASON. 
FOOD. 
In no detail of farming work is a purpose and plan more 
important than in the feeding of ewes and lambs. Two methods, 
•and only two, are worthy of thought, for the sheep that are left 
to rough it and live hard are to be regarded as uncared for in 
anything like a systematic manner, and with them, and those in 
whose hands the unfortunate animals are, we desire to have 
nothing whatever to do. 
To the earnest home farmer rather do we turn, for he, at any 
rate, is sensible of a trust and responsibility ; of property entrusted 
to his care for which he must do the utmost he can to improve 
;and make it really profitable. To him we put the important 
question, What object have you in view in feeding the flock now ? 
If your aim and desire is early maturity, you have done what you 
•could in the selection of ewes, and also in the purchase of tups 
last autumn of a breed in which this desirable property is well 
developed. You did not suffer the ewes to become greatly 
reduced in condition last season, only allowing them to be on 
low diet for about a fortnight after the lambs were weaned, 
since when they have been so fed as to keep them in fair con¬ 
dition without any approach to fatness. The lambs afford the 
best evidence of this wise treatment now in their robust health, 
•compact vigorous bodies, and free growth. There is nothing 
stunted or feeble about them; they have been well nourished, 
and are still well fed through the ewes. If they fell early they 
are now taking other food freely, and it is possible to hasten 
maturity by from five to seven months, or, in other words, at 
from eight to ten months old they may be as mature as low-bred 
sheep are at fifteen months. 
This is one method, which to be as profitable as possible must 
include much care and positive economy in the selection and use 
of food. For the first food there is nothing in our opinion equal 
to the fine mixture of Mackinder's lamb food, to be followed later 
on with the coarser mixture. This food consists of an admirable 
blending of nutritious farinacious food, so nourishing that only a 
very small quantity is requisite to promote quick growth. Various 
kinds of cake, corn, and meal enter into the composition of this 
food, and it forms really a mixed dietary of the very best kind ; 
but (and pray mark this) it is not the chief article of food—that 
consists of green food and roots. Mangolds, Swedes, Kale, Rye 
are all used in turn, but all used wdth due discretion. 
In due course the lambs will be found at the ewe troughs, 
gradually taking to the chopped silage, and feeding as freely upon 
the coarser food as do the ewes. Evidence of what they do con¬ 
sume is clearly afforded when they run forward on Swedes. First 
of all the tops only are eaten before the folds are moved forward, 
then the roots are more and more demolished till there is often the 
lesser half left for the ewes. After the roots they go from one 
green crop to another; grass. Rye, Trifolium, Tares, Sainfoin, 
■Clover, Rape, and mixed seeds all coming into use in turn ; and if 
the wether lambs are intended to come out early for the butcher 
there will be a proportionate increase in the quantity of dry food. 
Meanwhile a watchful eye is kept upon the ewes, and they have 
either the coarse lamb food or a mixture of crushed Oats and 
Deans with an addition of Peas and Maize if it is cheap enough. 
When the lambs are twelve or fourteen weeks old they tell seriously 
upon the ewes, and then is the critical time when the dams so 
frequently fall into low condition. A full dietary, changed occa¬ 
sionally, must be had, and they are not kept so much upon soft 
green food as to induce violent scouring. The common practice of 
using much cotton or linseed cake for the ewes is also objection¬ 
able, because it is such an easy matter to use both sorts of cake to 
excess. When a feeding cake is used we decidedly prefer the 
compound Waterloo round cake as being more wholesome and so 
easily digested that it is less likely to be used wastefully. 
The quantity of dry food used for the lambs depends on no 
fixed rule, but upon weather and condition. The basis of all 
feeding is free growth fully sustained ; anything beyond that has 
its special object, which is generally an early and profitable 
maturity. To be so breeding and feeding must be alike judicious, 
and due care taken not to spend a guinea in the production of a 
pound’s worth of mutton. It is owing to the persistent use of 
lamb tups that the Hampshire Down breeders have been so 
successful in the development of early maturity. What we want 
especially to see more of is really good all-round practice in flock 
management. Equal care must be given to breeding, feeding, and 
sheltering if we would obtain the best possible results. There is 
no such thing as luck in this work—the term is most objectionable ; 
and we repeat our remark at the beginning of this paper, in no 
detail of farming work is a purpose and plan more important, and 
in none is there a greater degree of certainty of success when our 
purpose is wise, our plan mature. 
WOKE ON THE HOME FAEM. 
The ploughs have been kept following the Turnip folds closely, and 
the last of the spring corn will soon be sown. For this work the 
weather continues most favourable, and clean fine seed beds are to be 
seen everywhere. The Wheat plant is backward, and is thin on the 
Essex clays. In the midlands it is a full strong plant; so, too, are 
winter Beans, and the “seeds” and Clover are excellent. We have 
certainly had this season remarkable proof of the value of late sown 
Turnips, for such roots being small and firm were not hurt by the frost, 
and we have seen many market carts on the Essex roads going London- 
wards laden with sound white Turnips with the green tops left on. On 
such roots ewes and lambs have been folded with safety and all has been 
well, but much harm has been done by folding irpon decaying roots. 
Every lambing season do we meet with reckless work among sheep. 
Since -writing our last note we have seen a flock of Kent ewes that had 
been turned out in a park all the winter without any trough food. The 
pasture was poor enough, and the ewes have been withdrawn from it for 
the lambing in such wretched plight that some of them are already 
dead, and judging from appearances other losses must follow. The 
lambs too, though exceptionally late must be weakly, and the whole 
thing is a wretched example of mismanagement. 
Care must be taken not to overwork mares in foal. A little light 
work does good rather than harm, but as the foaling time approaches 
we gradually withdraw them from work, and turn them into a com¬ 
modious lodge with a small yard quite away from other stock, and 
where they can be quiet. We like to have a look round at all the 
homestead stock the last thing at night, and then know whether any 
are likely to require attention in the night. It is an arduous time just 
now, what with lambing, calving, and similar increase among all live 
stock. Bed or sleep has often to be done without, and one is w ell 
rewarded for such extra work if only all goes well, and the young stock 
comes healthy and strong. Very pleasant is it to witness the daily 
increase of numbers. The mere sight is an incentive to exertion, and 
there is much good work for the future being done at every home farm. 
Farm pupils must not be mere spectators, but must take a full share of 
the work if they would become masters of it. By so doing they will 
gain experience and confidence as they can in no other way, and they 
will subsequently be able to take the control of a farm with an in¬ 
valuable fund of practical experience. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 32^ 40" N.; Long. 0° 8 ' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A M. 
IN THE DAT. 
Bain 
1 
1891. 
March and April. 
1 Barome- 
1 ter at 32“ 
and Sea 
1 Level. 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
Temp, of 
soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Bun. 
On 
grass 
Sunday.29 
Monday.3t 
Tuesday .... 31 
Wednesday.. 1 
Thursday.... 2 
Friday . 3 
Saturday.... 4 
Inches. 
29.752 
29.7«5 
3 P.031 
29.951 
29.802 
29.637 
29.717 
deg. 
44.6 
38.4 
38.2 
36.0 
42.8 
40.6 
45.9 
deg. 
40.9 
31.7 
35.0 
33.4 
37.4 
38.3 
44.9 
!W. 
N.W. 
N.E. 
AV.i 
SE. 
N.E. 
N.AV. 
deg. 
39.3 
39.8 
39.1 
39.1 
38.9 
39.4 
40.2 
deg. 
52.6 
48.9 
51.1 
48.8 
47.4 
50.8 
63.0 
deg. 
36.1 
30.9 
28.6 
28.1 
35.1 
37.2 
40.2 
deg. 
93.1 
91.2 
99.6 
75.0 
61.1 
69.8 
63.4 
deg. 
29.9 
21.3 
21.5 
21.9 
27.2 
32.7 
85.0 
In. 
0.054 
0.458 
29.808 
40.9 37.4 
39.4 
49.9 
83.7 
80.2 1 27.4 j 0.512 
REMARKS. 
29th. —Slight shower at 19 A.M. otherwise grenerally bright. 
30th. —Brilliant till 4 PM.; a slight shower of snow at 4.40, and billllant again before 6 P.M* 
3l8t.—Brilliant morning, cloudy at times in afternoon. 
1st. —Sun shining through slight fog in morning; overcast afternoon. 
2nd.—Cloudy throughout. Solar halo 9.30 to 10 A.M. 3rd.-Overcast all day. 
4th. —Dull and drizzly, with frequent showers and heavy rain from G to 9 P.M, 
Temperature still low for the season.—a. J. Symons. 
