this operation be performed later, there is great danger that fatal
inflammatory action may set in; on the other hand, a lamb much younger
than three weeks is hardly strong enough to bear the pain of the
operation. The tails of the lambs are shortened about the same time;
but it would be better in the case of the rams not to perform both
operations on the same day. These operations are best performed during
moist or cloudy weather; if they must be done on frosty or stormy
days, the lambs should be kept under shelter for two or three days, as
otherwise the cold might induce inflammation. The lambs remain with
their mothers for about four months, after which they are weaned, and
put upon a good pasture. When the herbage is poor, oil-cake, say 1/4 lb.
daily, or some other nutritious food, should be used to supplement it.
During the summer and part of the autumn the young stock, as a rule,
subsist upon grass; but many flock-masters give them other kinds of food
in addition. As winter approaches, the young sheep on tillage farms
receive soft turnips, and sometimes a little hay or straw. The allowance
of oil-cake may be increased to 1/2 lb., or if corn be cheap, it may be
substituted for the oil-cake. After Christmas Swedish turnips are used.

Mr. Mechi gives the following information on the subject of rearing
lambs during a season when roots are scarce:--

Two hundred lambs, which cost 22s. 6d. each on September 12th,
were kept on leas and stubble until November 3rd, then on
turnips until December 19th, when fifty of them were drafted to
another flock getting a little cotton-cake. On the 3rd of February
fatting commenced with linseed-cake in addition to cut Swedes. On
the 7th of April the fifty tegs were put on rye with mangels, and
they were sold on the 4th of May at 61s. each.

The remaining 150 lambs were wintered as stores at little cost,
on inferior turnips uncut; they were put on rye from March 8th
till May 4th, when they were valued at 48s. each.

The district just referred to became so exhausted of its stock,
that at some of the later fairs the number of lambs and of ewes
exhibited was less than one-fourth of the average. But in Essex,
on six adjoining farms, including that from which I write, the
number of sheep wintered has been greater than these heavy lands
ever carried before. This has been effected by the extension of
a system of managemen