The husbandman, farmer and grasier's compleat instructor. Containing choice and approved rules, and directions for breeding, feeding, chusing, buying, selling, well ordering and fatning bulls, cows, calves, rams, ews, lambs, swine, goats, asses, mules, &c. : How to know the several diseases incident to them, by their signs and symptoms, with proper remedies to cure them; : as likewise all griefs, and sorrances what-ever. : Also, a treatise of dogs, and conies, in their breeding, ordering, and curing the distempers they are subject to. : To which is added, The experienced vermine-killer, in particular directions, for taking and destroying all sorts of vermine in houses, out-houses, fields, garden, graneries, and other places. / By A.S. Gent.

When the Ewe ought to be covered, and the Care to be taken therein, and in their yeaning or bringing forth, &c.

As for the time of the Ewe's being to bring strong and healthful Lambs for a good Breed, chuse them at two years old, and let them receive the Ram in a warm close Pasture; for, if they be cover'd much before, the Lambs they Produce, will prove weak and unfit for good Breeders, by reason the Ews are not at their strength, or at least-ways not con∣tracted a sufficient heat to produce Lambs strong and lusty enough to continue their Health. A Ewe will bear pret∣ty well from two years to seven, though it is not so pro∣per; and for Breeders, keep only the first two or three years Product.

Those Rams design'd to serve your Ews for such Lambs as are intended for Breeders, before the Blossom comes on the Trees; must be well fed in the Cotts, or kept in good Pa••ture about a month e're they are turned to them, that so they may be full of Spirit, lusty and vigorous, and the better able to perform what they are designed for; and if yo•• perceive, as commonly he will do, that the Ram ra∣ther covets the old than the young Ews, because they are easier wooed; scatter Blades of Onions and Garlick in the way of the Ram and younger Ews, that eating them they may stir up Desire, and render them both ••he willinger to a compliance.

There are various Opinions of having Ewe or Ra••-Lambs at pleasure; some say, That if the Ram cover the Ewe, their Faces being towards the North when the Wind blows, it will not sail to be a Male, and the like towards the South a Female. Others, That to knight the Ram's right Stone some time before he leaps procured a Male, and do∣ing so by the left, a Female. That the juice of male or fe∣male Mandrakes will work the like Effects. But these I conclude to be Conceits, when the thing naturally happens so, and therefore I shall lay little stress on them.

The Ews in their yeaning must be carefully regarded and helped by the Hand, if Nature be not of sufficient strength to bring forth, and after be comforted with warm Milk

and Bran: The Lamb must be set on his Legs as soon as may be, and shewed to the Dams Teat, lest by long delaying she refuse to cherish him, as otherwise she would do; and if the weather be not very seasonable, they must be warmly housed.

The best time for bringing forth is about the latter end of April, if Pasture-Sheep; if Field-Sheep, it may be well enough from the beginning of January to the end of March.