A profitable instruction of the perfect ordering of Bees/Second Treatise/Chapter 4
Other profitable inſtructions, right neceſſarie for huſbandmen to know. Cap. iiij.
AND firſt if the horne of the Ramme (nere his eare) be boxed, the ſame doeth tame his fierceneſſe. And if his right genitour be truſſed vp before he goeth to couer the Ewe, then doeth he beget an Ewe lambe. And if the left be thus ſtraite truſſed vp, and the righte hanging downe, then doeth he begette a hee lambe.
And if in the time of the South wind blowing, the Ram doth then couer the Ewe, he doth after beget a ſhee lambe.
And if when the North wind bloweth the Ram doth then couer the Ewe, doth after beget a hee lambe. And of what colour alſo the vaines ſhal be vnder the tongue of the Ewe, ſuche ſhal the colour of the ſkinne of the lambe be, for if ſhe hath black vaines vnder the tong, then the Lambe ſhall be blacke of ſkin, and if white vaines vnder the tong, then ſhall ſhe haue a white lambe: and if of diuerſe colours, then the lambe ſhal be of diuerſe colours on the ſkin. And that antient Iſaac writeth, that Rams in their yong yeares be of leſſer moyſture and clammyneſſe, than be the ſucking lambs, and this is, through their age and qualitie then ruling.
And therefore the fleſhe of yong weathers be better, and ingender better bloud than the ſucking lambes.
And this is heere ſpoken of ſuch Rammes as be gelded, in that their moyſture and hoteneſſe is then temperate.
And the wethers ouer old are to be refuſed in eating, in that they be then cold and drie without moyſture, and they ſmallye nouriſh and hardly diſgeſt.
Alſo beefe and other fleſhe of beaſtes being olde, be euill to eate, through the coldeneſſe and dryneſſe, and through the lacke of the moyſture and hotneſſe. And when the olde Rams in their time to couer the Ewe, be ſooner moued thereto, than the yong Rammes, it doeth then ſignifie a good and profitable ſeaſon to enſue in that yeare, and a good ſeaſon and proſperous alſo for ſheepe. But if in the proper time to couer the Ewe, the yong Rammes be ſooner prouoked thereto than the olde Rams, then doeth followe the greate rotte or murreyne of ſheepe in that yeare.
Alſo Ewes by drinking of water conceiue the ſooner wyth Lambe and of this the ſheepeheardes giue them ſalte to eate, wherby the more drinking of water, they may ſo conceiue with yong, and they are alſo by that meanes preſerued the healthfuller. And in the Harueſt alſo ſome ſheapheardes giue them to eate Gourdes ſeaſoned with ſalt to encreaſe their milke, for by that meanes both the milke more plentifully iſſue forth of their teates, and the Ewes do ſooner conceiue. Alſo in Sommer is the colde Northerly water good for them, and in the Harueſt the warme Southerly water good for them.
Alſo to let ſheepe feede in the ende of the day, is greatelye commended: and if they alſo ſtirre but little abrode, the ſame is thought very profitable, in that the muche iourneying, and labouring of them hither and thither, doth ſo cauſe thē to become leane. Alſo the ſkilful ſheepeheards knowe, whiche ſheepe will well endure the ſharp winter, and which not, in that vpon ſome of the ſheepes backes (as they affirme) Iſe maye be founde, and vpon otherſome none at al. So that by this may be learned, that ſuch ſheepe which be weake, a man can hardely plucke off the Iſe from their backes. And further learne, that thoſe ſheepe whiche haue long tayles, maye hardlier abide the ſharpe colde winter, than thoſe hauing broade tayles: and the ſheepe alſo curled of haire (do in like ſorte) hardlier endure the bitter winter.
{{bl|And beſides theſe, the thunder greatly harmeth ſheepe, eſpecially if anye Ewe being with yong happeneth to be alone at that inſtant, for that ſhe then with lambe, doeth of the fearefull noyſe of the thunder, deliuer hir yong one before the time. And for a ſpeciall remedie to ſaue that vntimely caſting of Lambes at ſuch times, the ſkilfull ſheepeheardes haue found out, that ye only driuing of many Ewes togither, is a ſure ſafegard to thē to auoyde this occaſion. Beſides, if you will remoue the rot of ſheepe, that they die no more, then take the belly of a Ram, and ſeeth the ſame in wine and water togither, which after mixe we water, and giue the ſame generallye to all the ſheepe to drinke, for by that meanes ſhall they againe be recouered of their diſeaſe. And here learne, that the fleſhe of ſheepe, and other foure footed beaſtes, which commonly feede in moyſte ground, is euill to feede vpon, for the harde digeſtion of the ſame. Alſo learne, that the good ſheepe are knowen by their age, as being neyther to olde, nor yet as Lambes: and by the forme alſo they are knowen, if ſo be you finde them large of body.}}
And they beſides haue much and ſoft wool, and both thicke & long heare, eſpecially on the nape, and about the necke, and the like haire on the belly. And both the health & ſickneſſe of ſheepe may be knowen, if ſo be any openeth their eyes, and findeth the vaines within to be redde and ſmall, which vndoubtedly declareth them to be ſound and good: but it thoſe vaines that appeare white, or redde, and bigge, then thoſe ſheepe are diſeaſed and weake.
And if the ſheepe go luſtily and boldely by the waye, it is a
ſure token that they be found, but ſadly and hanging
down the heade, then be they diſeaſed. Theſe hither-
to of the yearely coniectures, and other rules,
only meete for huſbandmen to vn-
derſtand and know.