REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 317 



paper, which was drawn up before the Paris Exhibition in 1856, 

 with the view of affording to those unacquainted with Scotch 

 farming information regarding the Cheviot breed of sheep :— 



"The farms extend from 700 to 800 acres up to 6000 or 7000, 

 the most common size being .about 2000. But in many cases 

 one farmer holds several of these farms, though detached from 

 each other and his residence. The increase of capital and skill, 

 and facility of intercourse, have created a tendency of late par- 

 ticularly to accumulation. The height varies from 500 feet 

 above sea-level to nearly 3000, which the hills attain on the 

 northern boundary of Dumfriesshire, being the most inland 

 point. In general a very small portion of the farm is cultivated, 

 rarely exceeding 50 to 100 acres, and often none. At 800 to 

 1000 feet above sea-level, in the inland county, rain falls more 

 than half the days of the year. The rain-gauge shows 48 inches 

 of rain during the year ; the mean annual temperature about 44° 

 (Fahrenheit), that of the season from 1st May to 1st October 

 being about 53°. 



" The natural herbage varies much in quality and quantity. 

 On some farms heath preponderates, and the grass for food 

 among it is scanty ; on others a green sward of fine or coarse 

 herbage covers the hills ; and on the lower slopes, on damp clay 

 subsoils, there is a coarser green growth, which affords much 

 sustenance, particularly in winter and spring, when the finer 

 summer grasses fail. A mixture of the various soils and grasses 

 is conducive to health. 



" On the majority of farms the sheep remain on the farm, going 

 at large during the whole year, each sheep keeping within a 

 range of a mile or little more. In a few high-situated farms 

 (not above a tenth in number) the flocks occasionally, in deep 

 frozen snows in winter, have to be removed for a few weeks to 

 lower situated farms, where there is little snow ; but this happens 

 only once in several years. On many farms subject to such 

 snows, hay is cut from the grounds sufficient to serve the flock 

 some weeks. It is the practice on some, but not many, farms to 

 keep a part or the whole of the one-year-old sheep on turnips or 

 grass on the lower grounds during winter, and occasionally the 

 weak of all ages. Loss by diseases and hunger occurs on all 

 farms, varying from 2 to 10 or 12 per cent, on the whole stock- 

 averaging, exclusive of lambs when suckling, about 5 per cent. 

 The loss of lambs is also about 5 per cent., excepting in bad 

 seasons, when it will reach 10 per cent. 



" The ewes have their first lambs in April, when two years old. 

 They are kept to either five or six years old, then sold, and 

 replaced by the best of the ewe lambs." 



The quality of the pure Cheviots of Dumfriesshire is not 

 surpassed anywhere in Britain. Great care and attention have 



Y 



