Page:A profitable instruction of the perfite ordering of Bees.djvu/78

Rh 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.

And beſides theſe, the thunder greatly harmeth ſheepe, eſpecially if anye Ewe being with yong happeneth to be alone at that