The weekly standard., 1869-09-15
HOUSE AND FARM.

HOUSE AND FARM.
WEAVING AND FALL FEEDING LAA1Bs.-A
Kansas correspondent asks: rs there any
use IN separating the lambs from the ewes to
wean theml Why not let nature have its
way, and leave them to wean themselves
when they get ready? But if this enforced
weaving is necessary, at what age should it
take place, and how should matters be man.
aged, and particularly how should the weaned
lambs be fed p"
We have treated this subject fully in the
Practical Shepherd, and often in these COL
umns, but we suppose there is no use in re-
ferring men new in the business to books
which they have not read or to back volumes
of journals not in their possession.
Lambs should he separated at the proper
time from their dams and weaving enforced
for the good of both. 4 lamb allowed to
suck after the supply of milk becomes scanty
continues to depend upon it, and does no.
eat grass as well nor grow as well. Ewes
sucking in the fall remain thin, and do not
get into proper condition for winter
Lambs shonld be weaned at about four
months old-but this should depend some
what upon the time of year, the condition
of the feed, &c. If weaned very early they
can if necessary run longer with the ewes
Good feed should be in readiness for them
when weaned. The common custom in the
East is to reserve meadows for them until
the rowan, or second growth, has taken a
good start, or to put them on grain stubbles
which have been seeded down to grass.
Some verv excellent shepherds, however.
prefer to put them on old pastures which
have been cropped close and then rested
few weeks, until covered with fue fresh
crop of short, sweet grass. Either course
will do well enough. 1t is better to keep
the ewes on dry, poorish pasturage until
well dried off; and then give them first-rate
pasturage to get them into condition as rap
idly as possible.
On large, excellent range, tegs Qambs are
called tegs after weaving until their first
teeces are taken Off may subsist well on
grass until near the opening of winter: but,
asa general thing, it is better to give them
little additional food after frost has injured
the grass. This may consist of pumpkins
roots rape, &C., which they will readily
learn to eat from the example of few old
ewes put among them, and from very slight
ly sprinkling these articles with salt for two
or three days, after keeping it from the tegs
for some time previous. Bran and shorts
are admirable fall feed for tegs. If the bran
is light, few oats wont hurt it. In the
the East, corn is not favorite feed for tegs.
1t is considered too hearty and stimulating
food.
It is much better to shelter tegs from cold
storms, ofany considerable duration, in late
autumn. Indeed, when the ground becomes
wet and cold and the air chilly, it is better
to house them every night in a roomy, drv.
clean, well ventilated shed or sheep barn.
This is good place to give them their grain
or roots; and to give them, nightly feed
of dry hay, which will be of great use to
them.
While tegs should be fed well in the fall,
they should not be pampered, especially
with grain feed If kept high in the fall.
the feed cannot be safely diminished in
winter-indeed, it often becomes necessary
to increase it to preserve the condition.
Highly pampered lambs may 90 safely
bers and with good accommodations and
management and look verv finely, Weld
extraordinary feeces, and gain a wear in
growth.
This may he expedient in the case of NUT
ton sheep which are to be killed young, but
it is neither safe nor a wise course for the
fine wool grower. Merino tegs highly pam
pered in winter are always in danger of dis
ease. Besides, where they go through safely,
they will not always do as well after being
turned out to grass. And we believe sheep,
like men, establish habits in regard to nutri
ton which it is difficult to break. A sheep
highly pampered through the first year its
ltn c1h ,ol,o
Its deficient in vigor and condition.
The opposite extreme, starvation and neg
lect of young sheep, is more Immediately
fatal. We speak of them in considerable
numbers, because few, with great range,
VIII do well under almost any circumstances
!tegs are not weaned, or properly fed in
tall, and go into winter small In size or in
low condition, it is exceedingly difficult with
the best care, to winter them without a
heavy per centage of loss. And without
that care, and especially if the winter is an
ulntavorable one for sheep, the loss is some
times very severe, and almost total-Rural
Nsoo Yorker.
] FalL PLANTING OF AsPARAGUs.-The |
gi'1I Is prepared as for the crop at any
olle' -elson, and, after cutting off the green |
"l .i the young seedlings, the roots are |
FI y.seiSey as in spring planting. They |
JUS new roots at once, and make eyes so |
ArO1s that even from one year old seedlings |
ome aspaTa9us-but not of course very |
I9hg-hts been cut the following spring, |
4o Where two years have been used full |
Up hts been cut In the same time-a re-
~ ~ no one Expects from Spring planting.
thS region, the plan has taken strong
i1 ii On gardeners, and asparagus planting
LnAely to take rank at once with the straw
n! Us regular August operation 1t will,
~ oIrse, bINbest IN such cases to cover the
M = aiter 'tley have once become frozen,
s fSd Of litter; not to keep out
lbt ii prevent thawing and freezing
t5Ithe naalral spring season comes, or the
Ganf mad be thrown out.-Gardner's
Eo'kly.
BOX AFf fER YOUR LAwNs.-A good lawn
fa winJlast for many years, says the Ger
flown Telegraph, can be made as follows;
1.-the first place the ground must be well
f,Fared for the seed by deep plowing, care
lMlverimtion, and heavy manuring. Sow
aitifully of the following seeds, mixed In
qGal proportions: rye, grass. bluegrass,
md white clover Then roll with light |
oller, and narrowing will be unnecessary. |
Commence moving the young grass when |
u inches high, not too closely, and continue |
% DO SO, if with a scythe, every two weeks, |
ou' If with machine cutter, every eight or
en- days. Every other year top-dress in
utomn with good coat of barn-yard ma
lure, evenly spread. This is the only way
secure smooth, yelvety, dark-green lawn,
pae OF the most Charming objects about well
kept premises"
MANGFAcTuRE OF ScREws-A single
ialI fm m birmingham, England, manufactures
DoIt 1oo,ooo gross Of wood screws weekly,
apout one thousand million yearly. The
.acninery used in this manufacture is that
vented we by an American, T. j. Sloane, of
em omo5 YORK; This machinery was first en-
oyed i by VIM. Angel, of Providence, R. /.
,ytS; rHe whoIe history of machinery hardly
ad hg ng mas ever proved more successful
la H. r.