ON THE AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF SUTHERLAND. G7 



ewe lioggs ill the south, and endeavours to keep them on grass 

 till towards the end of February, when they are placed on 

 yellow turnips for a month or six weeks to make them " shoot," 

 or grow in the liorn. He avoids, as far as possible, giving tur- 

 nijis, especially Swedes, to ewe lK)ggs, as ewe lambs wintered 

 on turnips have frequently to be turned into the market with 

 "l)roken" mouths. In the first week of April the hoggs are 

 ])r()Uglit home, when the mossing or cotton ])laiits should be out 

 ami should carry them on till the " deer-hair " grass comes 

 about the second week in May. The mossing having been fail- 

 ing more and more every successive year, it is impossible to 

 keep the hoggs from losing condition after returning from the 

 wintering. The wether hoggs are kept on grass till Decemljer, 

 when they are put on to turnips, and taken home at the same 

 time as the ewe hoggs. The cost of wintering, including ex- 

 penses out and back and herding, varies from 8s. to 10s. a-head. 

 The ]\Iaster of Blantyre also sends a few of the weaker din- 

 monts and "iminers to wintering. His stock is what is called 

 a " regular " one, part ewes and part wethers ; and he usually 

 feeds his wethers and cast ewes in Derbyshire, where he holds 

 a large farm. He has tried the wintering of hocjgs at Lairg on 

 grass and cake; and, while the hoggs thrive well under that treat- 

 ment, he found the cost very little dearer than the usual system 

 of wintering. On Sciberscross the average yield of wool is 

 fully 5 lbs. per head. The Master of Blantyre smears all his 

 sheep. The smearing mixture consists of tar and butter in 

 equal proportions. Each tub contains 16 pints, with a pint of 

 milk and a pint of seal oil added, and smears from 27 to 29 

 sheep. He employs in all fourteen shepherds ; and his faiiks, 

 dipping-houses, and other similar accessories — all planned by 

 himself — are most complete and convenient. The Hall family, 

 so creditably connected with the sheep-farming of Sutherland, 

 held Sciberscross for fifty-seven years prior to the entry of the 

 Master of Blantyre, and kept one of the best stocks in the 

 county, realising always the top prices at the Inverness Wool 

 Fair. 



In Creich, the first parish entered from the south, there are 

 some good sheep farms. Mr John Kelly, formerly farm manager 

 at Dunrobin, holds the farm of Acliinduich, and keeps on it a 

 very good and very old breeding stock. He sells his wether 

 lambs at the Wool Fair, and delivers them at the usual time — 

 about the first week in August. The ewes are sent away 

 when four or five years old, the ewe stock being made up from 

 his own ewe lambs. On this farm, near the river Shin, there 

 is a good deal of green land, which yields good crops of hay ; 

 while some new land has been reclaimed higher up the side of 

 the railway. The largest holding in this parish is Invercasley, 



