88 
THE CULTIVATOR. March 
sgBjS^asaszaaffimaaag^Bsffiaaiara3re«raBinBiawB M» B B«^.a« i g i g^ 
FAT-RUMPED SHEEP—(Fig. 23.) 
THE AMERICAN SHEPHERD, 
Being a History of the Sheep, with their Breeds, 
Management, and Diseases: Illustrated with portraits 
of different Breeds, Sheep-barns, Sheds, &c. By L.J 
A. Morrell. 
We announced this work some months since, in ad-j 
vance of its publication; but since its appearance, have I 
not until now had the opportunity of noticing it as its j 
merits require. The book contains a large amount of 
information, acquired from various sources, in relation j 
to the subjects of which it treats, and we think it ought' 
to be in the possession of every man in the country who 
keeps more than half a dozen sheep. It embraces 437 { 
pages, and is divided into chapters, under the following 
heads: Properties of Wool; History of Sheep; Euro¬ 
pean Sheep; British Breeds; Sheep of the United 
States; Summer Management of Sheep; Winter Manage¬ 
ment; Breeding and Crossing; Structure of the Sheep; 
Surgical Observations. The following extracts from 
the chapter on Winter Management, will be seen to 
contain sound practical observations: 
BREEDING EWES. 
“ This portion of the flock demand no especial attention' 
beyond a full measure of food, until the approach of 
spring. The course of management will depend on the 
time of yeaning, which, if fixed for the month of April, 
they will require a large measure daily through March 
of potatoes for the assimilation of milk. In addition, 
nothing better can be supplied them than a half pint 
each of wheat shorts, mixed with a little barley or oat¬ 
meal. Oil-cake and corn meal are not so suitable, as 
they do not afford as much casein , the only nitrogenized 
element, as the reader has been informed, of milk. 
Their fodder through the winter should be of a miscel¬ 
laneous character. Pea and buckwheat straw are high¬ 
ly agreeable to them, especially the former, which, 
from its succulency, is well suited to their situation. 
“ The reader is referred to the correspondence in the 
Appendix for many valuable hints on the management 
of breeding ewes, when the yeaning takes place in 
April. In conclusion, comfort, quietness, and generous 
feeding are cardinal points of attention with breeding 
ewes, through the whole period of gestation. 55 
HOSPITAL FLOCK. 
“ This is the general appellation of such sheep as are 
in low condition, proceeding either from poor keep, or 
temporary illness. 
“ The attentive and well-ordered sheep husbandman 
will not be troubled with many of this class, for he will 
not overstock, neither will he permit any to remain on 
his hands till they have become too old; thus few will 
enter the “poor house 55 to reflect unskillful manage¬ 
ment. It is scarcely necessary to say, however, that 
every good flock-master will provide a place for the 
reception of sheep under consideration, as often, in 
spite of his humane care, disease will make its way to 
some individuals, which, in that event, require remo¬ 
val from their strong and healthy comrades, and treated 
accordingly. After the disease is subdued, their diet 
should depend much on the character of the malady. 
As a general rule, their food at first should not be of an 
exciting nature, especially if the disease was seated in 
the stomach, or intestines. But all suitable advice in 
this regard will be found in the history of diseases. 
When a sheep is seen declining in flesh, let it be re¬ 
moved forthwith to the hospital, and after a few weeks 
perhaps it may resume its place in the flock from 
whence it was taken; this is often so, if the removal 
is instant in the early stages of decline. Variations of 
the food will greatly contribute to restore invalids, as 
well as those in poverty of flesh. 55 
The cut at the head of this page is given in Mr. 
Morrel’s book, and is a correct portrait of a “ fat- 
rumped 55 Persian ram, which belonged to the Zoolo¬ 
gical Society of London. There are several varieties of 
the fat-rumped sheep, but we have not space to go into 
a particular description of them. Most of the sheep of 
northern Asia are of this description. The manner in 
which they accumulate fat is a striking peculiarity of 
the race. The accumulation which gives rise to the 
name, commences about the loins, and swells gradually 
into a large mass towards the rump. The soft oily fat 
which constitutes this excrescence or fat-rump, some¬ 
times weighs in a single sheep from 20 to 40 pounds— 
the whole carcass weighing not far from 200 pounds. 
There is both a horned and polled variety of the fat- 
rumped sheep. The figure is of one of the latter, in 
which variety the accumulation of fat on the rump, is 
not of the enormous size spoken of. 
Small Farms in Flanders. —It is well known that 
Flanders is one of the best farming countries in the 
vvorld, if not the very best. The farms are small, not 
averaging more than 50 acres each. Some are held on 
lease, others not. The leases are three years, or some 
multiple of three, up to fifteen. 
