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might have breeding Sheep for any Month in the Year; it has been try'd upon fome Creatures which never have been known to couple in our Climate, and has had an immediate Effect upon them.

In fome Part of North Wales I am affured, that Goats often couple with Sheep, and therefore the Wool is fometimes worse than it is elsewhere in England; and Care fhould be taken, if poffible, to prevent it: Nor fhould we chufe our Rams of fuch Kinds as have Horns, for their Offfpring endanger the Ewes in yeaning. The Dodder Sheep are prefer'd by every Shepherd of Judgment, being good Breeders with little hazard.

Some Obfervations concerning the Breeding and Suckling of Lambs in the House.

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E are first to remark, that the Ewes which are fed in fome Parts where there are invigorating Herbs, go to Rut or Bloffom in every Month in the Year, except April, May, or the Beginning of June. Thefe Herbs which are fo invigorating and forcing to the Spirits, are more particularly found in dry, than in wet Places; and it is very certain to use them skilfully, would contribute to bring Ewes to rut in April and May, fo that every Month in the Year fome of his Sheep may produce Lambs. In the mean Time, I muft acquaint him, that whatever Ewes he finds moft forward to rut in December or January, he muft keep them from taking the Rams, which every skilful Shepherd knows how to do.

But, however, concerning the Suckling of Lambs, it will be firft proper that I explain

fome few Terms which are neceffary to be used, and which perhaps may not be understood in every County.

First, Baftard Ewes in Surry, are those Ewes which fuckle the Lambs of other Ewes, or have loft their own.

Secondly, Baftard Lambs are fuch Lambs as have loft their Dams, and fuck upon other Ewes.

Thirdly, Tod Belly, is when a Lamb is thin belly'd like a Greyhound, or cling'd up. Fourthly, To fuck at Head, is a young Lamb's fucking the first of the Milk.

Now, with regard to the House for Lambs it ought to be divided into Stalls, that every Lamb may be more conveniently fuckled; and Care ought to be taken that too many Lambs are not put into one Houfe at one Time, left they fall diftemper'd, and become Set or Tod belly'd; to prevent which, alfo Care must be taken that what Milk the youngest Lambs leave (if any) may be fuck'd by the oldeft Lambs.

If you have any Baftard Ewes, fuckle the el-deft Lambs, beginning about Seven in the Morning, and about Four in the Afternoon; and when the Baftard Ewes have Milk enough to fuckle all your Lambs thereon, then put in the Dams only at Noon, and between Nine and Ten at Night, and out again between Nine and Ten in the Morning.

To avoid Mistakes, which might happen in the Suckling of many Lambs, we must mark them. to know which has been longeft in fuck on the Baftard Ewes, and those which have been long at fuck, are to fuck ftill at Head.

As foon as poffible, let your Ewes Udders and Tails be clip'd from the Wool, to keep

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them clean from Dirt they are apt to gather in the Houfe.

When those which fuck at Head, on the Baf tard Ewes, have had their Meal, put on those Lambs which you design next to fuck at Head, to fuck thofe Ewes clean of their Milk.

Obferve if you have any Twin Lambs, or Dams that give little Milk, help them on the Baftard Ewes.

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Feed your Lambs on Flour, Wheat or white Pease in Troughs, and with Wheat Straw in Racks, and fometimes fine Hay, but Straw is better for the Colour of their Flesh.

Before I conclude, I must take Notice of a Piece of Foreign Hufbandry, of good Ufe where it is practifed, which depends upon the Housing of Sheep at Night, and from whence we have taken the Method of folding our Sheep at Nights for the Benefit of Land. In Flanders and other Parts of the Continent, where the Sheep are endanger'd by Wolves, they are houfed every Evening, in Places fpread with clean Sand, about five or fix Inches thick; which Sand Floor, being every Night renew'd, occafions the Whole to be taken away about once in a Week, and is fo rich, by the Means of the Dung and Urine of the Sheep, that 'tis purchas'd at great Rates, and makes excellent Manure for ftubborn Ground.

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CHA P. VII..

An Account of a Warren, and its Profits; from Mr. William Gilbert, Mafter of the famous Warren, now upon Auborne Chafe.

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Uborne Chafe, which of long Date, has been allow'd to produce the best Rabbits in England, is fituate in North-Wiltshire. The Warren Part was once of vaft Extent; but is now reduc'd to about feven hundred Acres: And tho' the Ground, which is now in Warren, is commonly judg'd to be one of the most barren Parts of England, from the exceeding fhortnefs and fmallness of its Grafs, yet we are af fur'd that those Parts, which have been plow'd up, of the fame Kind, at the Reduction of the Warren, produc'd the most luxuriant Crops of Corn, that has been known to grow in the Kingdom; which happen'd, as is fuppos'd, from the Soil being render'd fine, by the working of the Rabbits; and alfo from the large Share of vegetative Salts, proceeding from the Dung and Urine, which by plowing were regularly mix'd, and thereby render'd fruitful.

The Soil is Chalk, partaking a little of a reddish fandy Loam, fomewhat ftoney, with an hard Rock at the Bottom. The Surface, which is hardly more than two Inches in Thickness, partakes more of the Loam than the Chalk; and upon the niceft Obfervations, I could not find any other Herb growing upon it than Nettles, Ragwort, and Silver-weed, and those only

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where the Ground had been disturb'd in fome Places. I also obferv'd the Elder to thrive very well in this Warren; and I fuppofe that many other Kinds of Trees and Herbs might be made to grow there, if they were cultivated, as I shall endeavour to prove by and by, from Example.

'Tis remarkable however, that the Rabbits of this Warren, as it is now, are very fat in the dryeft Summer; and even in the moft fevere Winter, their Kidneys can hardly be dif cover'd for the Fat upon them; this last I imagine may depend partly upon the Fodder which is given them in the fevere Season, and when the Snow is on the Ground, as well as upon the Fineness of the Grafs they feed upon in the Summer: The Fodder given to the Rabbits in the Winter, befides the fine Hay of that Country, is chiefly the Hazle, whofe Bark they devour very greedily; and as I obferv'd before, the fine Grass which they feed upon in the Summer, is very nourishing to them, and keeps their Bodies in good Plight, from a Virtue in it, which prevents the Rot among them; fo I fuppofe that the fine Hay of that Country, and the Hazle Bark, contribute no less to their Welfare, by furnishing them with Nourishment, not over abounding with Moisture: And in the Pasture Grounds about this Warren, which are like it in Soil, it is obfervable, that the Sheep are never fubject to the Rot in the wetteft Seafon ; and tho' one could hardly think the Grafs was long enough for their Bite, yet many Cows are kept upon that fhort Turf, and receive fo much wholefome Nourishment from it, that their Milk is much richer than that of the Cows in the Vale, where the Grafs is luxuriant, infomuch that upan

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