THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
183 
| December 8. 
cultivation, it ought to be in such a condition as to 
resist the evil eil'ects of a wet winter; not hut that it 
will, in common with all other soils, suffer from the 
protracted wet; still, it will be much less so whore the 
I superfluous water can find an outlet, instead ol souring 
1 amongst the stiff and impervious subsoil; this, there¬ 
fore, points out the necessity of draining, in order that 
rain may be quickly carried off without being allowed 
to stagnate in soils to the detriment of all cropping then 
I and after. Now, there are many soils of a productive 
nature resting on an impervious clay, so near to the 
surface as to leavo no room for the water to stand 
without being in immediate contact with the cultivated 
soil; in all such cases, effective draining is the only 
sure remedy ; for, though there be no superfluous water 
found in such soils, except after heavy rain, and the 
wet weather that occurs in autumn and winter, yet this 
is quite sufficient to call for their drainage, because, 
though water, doubtless, affords the ground much en¬ 
riching matter, still, when allowed to stagnate, its 
utility is moro than neutralized by the evils that follow 
in its train. However, as most works on draining 
have explained all this, nothing hero remains to add, 
save that when ground of this description cannot he 
drained, or it be necessary to defer a season to do 
so, the digging, or ploughing, ought to be deferred 
until spring also, as, by that means, the ground, having 
been lying tolerably solid and compact, is not likely to 
be charged with so much water as when it is more loose 
and open as it is after digging, trenching, or ploughing. 
Now, though there are many cases of the kind just 
mentioned, yet by far the greater proportion of a con¬ 
trary description, wherein a benefit is conferred in 
autumn, rather than otherwise, by the ground being 
dug, or otherwise turned-up, as, by that means, it is so 
placed as to receive the fertilizing properties of frost 
without incurring the evils of wet; i therefore advise the 
cottager, and less-experienced amateur, at once to have 
such ground turned-up in such a way as to exposo as 
much of it to the action of the atmosphere as it is 
possible to do. Ridges, about two feet wide, are better 
for that purpose than plain digging, and the ground 
must, nevertheless, be turned-up as rough as possible as 
well; some little regard must also be had to the kind of 
crop under which it is likely to be placed the ensuing 
season; but, for most purposes, the ridging system will 
be most available. 
Whatever mode may be adopted to place the ground 
in for winter, it must be borne in mind that it must not 
be operated upon when wet; but much benefit will 
accrue by taking advantage of the frosts of winter to 
dig or ridge a portion of it over, so us to expose another 
portion of it to the fertilizing effects of the elements. 
Now this is best effected when there is just sufficient 
frost to bear trampling on without impeding the working 
of the tool; and it often happens that such a warning 
does present itself; when such is the case, by all means 
let it be made use of. J- Robson. 
THE MANAGEMENT OF FORWARD EWES AND 
LAMBS. 
There is no portion of farming economy more important 
than that part which relates to the management of 
Sheep Stock, and it may also be said that none will 
prove more profitable when constant care and unremit- 
ing attention is bestowed upon it. But Sheep-farming 
embraces a considerable varioty with regard to breed, 
age, and sex. I therefore propose, in this paper, to con¬ 
fine my remarks to the management of Forward Ewes, 
and the rearing and fatting of Early Lambs; and I hold 
this to be the most difficult point of the whole routine of 
Sheep management, requiring, as it does, groat judg 
meut, experience, and foresight, coupled with the most 
vigilant supcrintendance. 
This kind of stock is best calculated for arable farms 
of the southern counties, for although many portions of 
the kingdom produce feed of all sorts of the best quality, 
yet such is the influence of climate upon the rearing and 
fatting of Early Lambs, that it would not bo advan¬ 
tageous to rear them upon cold and bleak situations. 
All kinds of Sheep, when fatting, require the best food 
which can be obtained, but in the case of Early Ewes 
and Lambs, a provision must be made in an exceptional 
manner, having regard not to one kind ot food only, but 
to every kind which the land can be rnado to produce, 
and adapted for the purpose, in order that a great variety> 
as well as abundance, may be available. 1, thcrclore, 
propose, that in addition to the ordinary produce of 
sheep’s food upon the farm, that Italian Rye Grass 
should be grown in the Wheat, or Oat Eddishes, upon all 
that portion not required for tillage between the months 
of September and December. This is done by seeding 
the corn land in the month of March. A portion of 
White Carrots should also be grown in lieu of, or in addi¬ 
tion to, the Turnip crop; Mangold Wurtzel may also be 
grown to some extent, as it is found very excellent food 
late in the spring, when the Swedes begin to lose their 
feeding properties. 
The breed of Sheep kept for the rearing of Early 
Lambs is the Horned Dorset, peculiar to the counties 
of Dorset and Somerset; we, however, sometimes meet 
with flocks of the same breed without horns, but they 
are quite an exception, and were originally propagated 
from the same stock. Early Lambs are occasionally 
obtained from the South Downs, and other breeds, but 
alter many years’ futile attempts to obtain Early Lambs 
as a rule from these breeds, it is now considered a hope¬ 
less case, and the Horned Dorset is the only breed which 
can be depended upon for that purpose. 
In selecting Ewes of the horned variety, it is requisite 
that they should have been put to a South Down Tup, 
and by all means chosen of good quality, being well 
made, short legged, and clothed with line wool. This 
breed of Sheep has been greatly improved in quality 
and symmetry within the last filtecn or twenty years; 
but the number of flocks have been much diminished, 
having given place to the South Downs upon the hill 
farms and in exposed situations. Formerly, many 
flocks of these Horned Ewes were propagated almost 
entirely with regard to then- milking qualities and pro¬ 
pensity to produce twin Lambs, in doing which the 
shape of the animal was, comparatively, disregarded. 
We still meet with flocks reared in the same manner at 
the present day; hence tho necessity of the before-named 
selection. During tho last twenty-six years, I have con¬ 
tinued to keep this breed of Slice}), and I have found, in 
some seasons, when my Ewes have been ill-shaped, that 
they have yeaned an immense number of Lambs, and 
have proved very milky, and made Lambs of the first 
quality; they would not, however, fatten whilst suckling 
