184 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
| 
December 8. 1 
their Lambs. At other times, when I have obtained the 
choicest description of Horned Ewes from the best dis¬ 
tricts of Somersetshire, I have found that they not only 
brought a large number of Lambs, but that the Ewes 
and Lambs would both become fat and fit for sale at the 
same time, and in first-rate condition. 
Ihese Ewes are sometimes sold in the spring of the 
year, but the usual period at which the breeders of this 
kind of stock offer them for sale is at Michaelmas, just 
before the time of lambing. Since, however, the 
number of flocks have been diminished they have be¬ 
come comparatively dear, and it is, therefore, a common 
practice for some graziers to purchase, and keep over 
for trading purposes the second year, those Ewes which 
may, from circumstances, be found poor, or in merely 
stock condition in the spring of the yem\ 
The plan of breeding from the Ewes the second season 
is found to answer a good purpose upon small arable 
farms having but little pasture land attached, it being 
the best policy to keep a stock-flock in summer, and a 
fatting-floek in wiuter; for it must be borne in mind, 
that this kind of Sheep does not fatten readily during 
the summer months in the enclosed districts of the 
Southern Counties, because they feel the annoyance of 
flies more than most other breeds. 
The custom is to turn the Tup with the Ewes the first 
week in May; a short, fine-woolled Sheep should be 
selected, in order that the offspring, more particularly 
in the case of twin Lambs, which generally require to 
be kept a longer period, may possess a close coat, it being 
well known that loose, hollow wool prejudices the sale of 
Lambs in the live market. The Tup should also possess 
good symmetry and plenty of flesh ; a well-bred Hamp¬ 
shire Down I have found better than a pure bred Sussex 
Down, for the Lambs reared from the latter do not 
possess a due proportion of lean meat, whereas, those 
produced from the former are highly esteemed by the 
consumers of the present day, affording, as they do, a 
well-combined proportion of flesh and fat. 
I he Rams should be shorn about a fortnight previous 
to being turned amongst the Ewes, and kept in an open 
place up to that time, iu order that they may gradually 
become accustomed to the loss of their coats; otherwise, 
in case of their being turned into the open field when 
recently shorn, they suffer much in health and condition 
during the night frosts, which often happen in the early 
part of the month of May. When these Ewes are kept 
entirely for the purpose of producing early Lambs they 
should never be shorn until the Rams are taken from 
them, which should be done about the 20th of June; 
iu that case, the portion of the flock of Ewes which 
proved to be pregnant would finish dropping their 
Lambs about the 14th of November. It is not ad¬ 
visable, in a flock of early stock, to have Lambs fall after 
that period ; for in case of Ewes lambing later they do 
not fatten readily with their Lambs by their sides. 
The manner of keeping the Ewes must now be con¬ 
sidered, as it will most probably have its influence in 
inducing the Ewes to offer to the Ram at the earliest 
I time. Although the nature of this breed of Sheep will 
go far in this respect, yet circumstances often arise, such j 
as the state of the weather, to delay the breeding season; 
yet this may, in a great measure, be prevented by 
generous keeping, and by choosing a warm and sheltered 
situation for feeding them. I have found, at this par¬ 
ticular period, the best way to bring the Ewes forward 
to the Ram is to feed them upon Trifolium, and cut Swedes 
or Mangold, placed in troughs, having also a change, or 
run upon dry pasture for a few hours during the day; 
but if the Ewes are further delayed in their season, it is 
a good plan to give them about half a-pint of beans each 
per day, which will generally produce the desired object. 
It will, at all events, bring them forward in condition; 
and that portion of the flock which may not prove in 
Lamb will the sooner be fit for the market. After the 
Rams are removed from the flock, and the Ewes ascer¬ 
tained to be with lamb, it will be best not to keep them 
too high ; it is, however, desirable that they should 
have two or three changes of keep during the day, but 
not of luxuriant, or rich arable grass. A dry pasture, 
or a change to a fold of tares, or similar food, would be 
most suitable, and they should, indeed, from this period 
up to the time of lambing, be managed as a stock or 
store flock, the object being to keep numbers, and to feed 
the land bare, for the sake of the manure. The tra¬ 
velling consequent upon their removal for change of 
food will also prove beneficial, for it is admitted by all 
flock-masters, that the Ewes and their offspring will be 
more healthy when the former have received a moderate 
amount of exercise during the period of pregnancy. 
Joseph Blundell. 
{To be continued.) 
SOUTH HANTS POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
This was held at Southampton on the 24th and 25th of 
November, and was one of the best first Exhibitions of 
Poultry we have ever witnessed. There were 353 entries, 
and almost every class was well represented. The Spanish 
and Partridge Shanghaes were about the most deficient. 
Coloured Dorkings were good classes, both old and young 
birds, and in the latter, Mr. Turner would probably have 
carried off the first prize, as he did at Winchester, if Mr. 
Lewry, the well-known dealer, had not been permitted to 
enter the lists. Dealers should exhibit against dealers, and 
not against amateurs, for they have a greater advantage 
over the latter than nurserymen have over amateurs at 
flower shows, yet nurserymen always contend there for dis¬ 
tinct prizes. Dealers in poultry should do the same, and it 
is very desirable to have their stock at exhibitions, one 
object of which is to assemble superior specimens. White 
Dorkings were shown in beautiful condition, as were all the 
classes of Shanghaes , or Cochin-Chinas, with the exception 
of those we have specified. There were seventy-nine pens 
altogether, the Butt's, as usual, much predominating. It is 
but due to Mr. Peters, of Birmingham, to state, that all the 
White Shanghaes, which took prizes both at Winchester 
and Southampton, were bred by him, although some were 
shown in the name of Mr. Holmes. The Game classes 
were more strongly represented than at "Winchester, yet 
there was still room for much greater excellence. In 
Hamburghs, the Spangled of both colours were much 
superior to the Pencilled. Other classes contained more 
than the average of good birds. Ptarmigans, as at Win¬ 
chester, did not meet with much favour in the eyes of the 
judges. These were E. Hewett, Esq., of Birmingham, G. 
1. Andrews, Esq., of Dorchester, and Mr. J. Baily, Mount- 
street, Grosvenor Square. 
