II U S.BANDR Y. 40) 
»ther breeds, is the uncommon final]nefs and fhortnefs of 
the tail. Wool very fine, and of various colours. This 
is a very hardy breed, but too wild in its-difpofition to 
be confined in inclofed paftures. 
In the management of flieep, different fyftems arc pur- 
fued, according to the nature of the farms on which they 
are kept, and the methods of liufbandry that are adopted. 
But, whatever thefe may be, it fliould be a principal ob- 
jeft with the fheep-managers to preferve them in as good 
condition as pollible at all feafons of the year. In order 
to acQomplifh it in the eafieft manner, it is ufeful to di¬ 
vide them into different parcels in refpedt to their ages 
and forts, as by inch means they may be kept with more 
convenience than in large flocks together, under a mix¬ 
ture of various kinds. In'this mode there will be Iefs 
wafte of food, and the flock at the fame time thrive bet¬ 
ter, and the paftures be fed with much more eafe and facility. 
. It has been too much the practice to leave the ewes for 
the purpofe of breeding without any feleftion ; but it is 
obvious, that, where good Iheep-ftock are defired, much 
care and attention ftiould be bellowed in choofing 1'uch 
as are the moft perfefl, and p'ofiefs in the higheft degree 
thofe properties which are wanted, let the breed or vari¬ 
ety be what it may; as it is only by adhering to this 
principle that fuccefs can be enlured. This bufinefs 
fliould therefore be carefully performed at the time they 
are turned to the rani. And.it is equally neceffary that 
a flmilar degree of attention ftiould be paid to the lelcft- 
ing of the rams, and the adapting of them to the ewes. 
The ufual time of having the rams admitted is about 
the beginning of Oftober; except in the Dorfietfhire ewes, 
where the intention is fuckling for lioufe-lamb, in which 
cafe it lliould be much earlier, in order that the lambs 
may be fufflciently forward. But, by being kept well, 
any of the breeds will take the ram at a much earlier pe¬ 
riod. Where the rams are young, the number of ewes 
lliould feldorn exceed Sixty for each ram; but in older 
rams a greater number may be admitted without incon¬ 
venience; but letting them have too many lliould be cau- 
rioufly avoided, as by fuch means the farmer may fuftain 
great lofs in the number of the lambs. 
During the time the ewes are in lamb, they lliould be 
kept in the paitures, and as free from disturbance as ppl- 
lible, and be carefully attended to, in order to prevent 
accidents which are liable to take place at this time, fuch 
a« thofe of their being call in the furrows without the 
means of getting up again. In cafe any of the ewes 
fliould flip their lambs, they lliould be immediately re¬ 
moved from the flock. They require, as is the cafe with 
all other forts of live ftock in fimilar circumftances, to be 
kept as well as the nature of the farm will admit, in or¬ 
der that there may be lefs lofs at lambing-time, from the 
ewes being ftronger, and the lambs more healthy, and bet¬ 
ter capable of contending with the ftate of the feafon at 
which they may be dropped. 
By a proper fupply of turnips at this period, the milk 
of the ewes is much increafed, and the growth of the 
lambs greatly promoted; which is of much confequence; 
for, if they are Hinted at this early period, they feldorn 
turn out well afterwards. In the ufe of this fort of food, 
where the foil is not fufflciently dry to admit the fneep, 
it is the beft practice to draw the turnips, and convey 
them to a found firm pafture, in order to have tile ewes 
baited upon them once or twice in the day, according as 
there may be occafion, particular care being taken that 
they are wholly confirmed, and no wafte made. The cir- 
cumftance of their being eaten quite clean up may Serve 
as a rule to the farmer for regulating the daily fupply 
that may be requilite. 
It has been observed, that, “in forne parts of the king¬ 
dom, the beft farmers give their ewes and lambs bran and 
oats, or oil-cake in troughs, while they are feeding on 
turnipsbut it is remarked that “ it mull be a good 
breed fGr fuch a practice to repay.” When the weather 
is extremely wet or ftormy, or there is much faow upon 
the ground, the ewe’s and lambs fliould have hay given 
them in baits as may bejieceffary. This is beft done in 
covered moveable racks, a portion being given frefli every 
day. If Shelter can be provided with convenience, it will 
always be of much benefit to the flieep. The practice of 
letting them to the hay-flacks, which is common with 
iome farmers, is fiovenly and wafteful, ahd which, though 
it may afford a degree of fiielter, fliould never be at¬ 
tempted where the other methods can be had recourfe to. 
It has been fuggefled as an excellent method, though not 
efientially neceffary, to allow the flieep, whether the wea¬ 
ther be bad or not, a fniall proportion of hay daily while 
feeding on turnips. By this careful management, and 
the ufe of ftubbie-turnips when neceffary, the ewe aiid 
lamb-ftock may be well fupported through the feverity of 
the winter, arid be brought on in the beft poflible condi¬ 
tion until the turnips are finiflied in March, which fliould 
always be the cafe, or the farmer is fure to fuffer in his 
Lent corn. The preferved grafs or rowen layj. fliould 
then be ready to receive them, which is confidered by 
fome as the moft to be depended upon through this and 
the following month, which, with the firft week in May, 
is the moft difficult period of the year to the flock-farmer. 
On dry meadows and paftures it is invaluable in this 
view, though at firft fight it may have an uiipromifing 
' appearance from the covering of decayed autumnal grafs 
that is upon it, but which when removed •prefents a new 
growth of frefli green grafs, five or fix inches in height, 
brought up by the fhelter and warmth afforded by the 
covering of old grafs 1 . This is found to agree remarkably 
well with the flieep, as they confume both together, hav¬ 
ing, as it were, both hay and grafs in the fame bite. 
But, in cafes where thefe cannot be depended on for the 
fupport of the fheep-ltock at this difficult feafon, the im¬ 
proved praftice is, inftead of depending on turnips and 
hay with rye fown for the purpofe, the young wheats and 
the run of the paftures, to let the turnips continue fo as 
that their flioots may become an object of lheep-food, and 
to have annually a portion of tolerably good land fuffi- 
cient to the extent of the flock, under rye-grafs and clo¬ 
ver, fo as to-be ready in the fpriri'g to take the flieep from 
turnips, and fupport them till the period of turning upon 
the paftures. It is remarked, that this conduct is an im¬ 
provement on the other, as it gets rid of three great evils: 
depending on rye, which is foon eaten ; feeding on wheat, 
which is pernicious to the crop; and turning too foon 
into the general paftures. But at the fame time that it 
effects this advantage, it is open to fome-objections, which 
make farther improvement neceffary. Where water- 
meadow is poffeffed, or can be hired, it may be confider¬ 
ed, at this trying feafon, as the making of a breeding 
flock. By fuch means, the flieep and lambs may be con¬ 
tinued in good and healthy condition till the time of 
turning upon the paftures, when they fliould be fepa- 
rated, wdiere the farms are inclofed into fuitable divi- 
flons, in proportion to the quantity that each pafture 
which they are to occupy can fupport, care being taken 
not to over-ftock the fields, though hard Hocking in fome 
cafes may be ufeful. By fome malingers they are put 
upon the beft paftures of the farm, while others let them 
have thofe of the inferior kinds. Each method may have 
its advantage under different circumftar.ces ; but the main 
object, that of having the ftock preferved in good condi¬ 
tion, is never to be loft light of. In keeping flieep on in¬ 
clofed paftures, particularly where the lands are much oc¬ 
cupied with wood, conftant cave is neceffary in order to 
guard againft the mifchief of the fly, as its effects _are of¬ 
ten irremediable in the courfe of a very fliort time in fuch 
fituations, if not attended to, in hot feafons. 
Where the fyftem of folding is diligently practifed, 
the flieep muff be well filled before they are driven to the 
fold, by being fed for fome time in good rich paftures, 
after labouring in the morning on the Sheep-walks and 
downs. Many farmers give over folding in November or 
December; whereas it may certainly be carried on through 
f the 
