316 REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 



press purpose of pig-feeding. This explains the large number 

 of pigs which were fed in the county previous to the potato 

 failure. For a few years after this calamity took place the num- 

 ber of pigs kept slightly decreased ; but farmers gradually got 

 into the habit of giving them turnips in place of potatoes, until, 

 as we have seen, the quantity of pork produced in the county is 

 now as great as ever it was. Another reason is that, especially 

 among the smaller class of farmers, the pigs are found to be a 

 most convenient as well as profitable means of consuming the 

 smaller produce of the farm. They thus serve as a sort of " sav- 

 ings' bank" to them. We say " especially among the smaller 

 class of farmers," because many more pigs are kept by such 

 farmers, in proportion to the extent of land in their possession, 

 than by farmers whose holdings are larger. Employment is 

 also given to the members of the family, who are thereby kept 

 at home. 



Section IX. — Sheep. 



The sheep grazed in the county may be divided into two 

 classes — 1st, Those kept for breeding purposes ; and 2d, the ones 

 which are fed for the fat market. Before estimating the num- 

 ber in each class, we shall give a brief account of the various 

 breeds, and of the parts of the county in which each is kept. 



The sheep kept for breeding purposes are composed mainly of 

 the Cheviot and Black-faced breeds. There are also a few ewes 

 of the pure Leicester breed, but they are not numerous. From 

 the Cheviot ewes two different kinds of lambs are bred. The 

 ewes on the hill pastures strictly so called, which measure 

 498,364 imperial acres, have invariably rams of their own breed 

 put to them. But there are a large number of Cheviot ewes 

 pastured on the arable lands, and on the permanent grass lands, 

 which are situated at an intermediate altitude between the 

 higher hill pastures and the cultivated land, and from these 

 cross-bred lambs (Cheviot and Leicester) are produced. This 

 crossing of the Cheviot ewe with the improved Leicester ram 

 has within the last forty years been carried to a great extent, 

 and has much enhanced the value of the Cheviot breed. The 

 mothers being hardier than the Leicester ewe, are better nurses, 

 and their progeny produces as heavy and finer mutton than the 

 pure Leicesters. The lambs, after being weaned in the beginning 

 of August, are kept upon good grass until October or November, 

 when they are put upon turnips, and fed off in the manner de- 

 scribed under the section on green cropping. 



To give the reader some idea of the situation of the farms on 

 which the Cheviot stock is kept, as well as the character of the 

 herbage and the general management pursued, we cannot do 

 better than quote some extracts from a concise and valuable 



