76 ON THE AGPJCULTUEE OF THE COUNTY OF SUTHERLAND. 



is of the Cheviot breed. It has been so for more than half a 

 century ; and, during all that time, the change in the system of 

 management has been so slight as scarcely to be worthy of notice. 

 The pastoral farms of the county carry what are technically known 

 as " ewe and wether " flocks, that is, mostly self-sustaining flocks, 

 that throw into the market every year a crop of cast ewes and of 

 three-year old wethers. These ewes and wethers are delivered 

 to the buyers direct from the liills about the 1st of September ; 

 and, though they usually leave the country in good condition, 

 they are not prepared for the butcher. On a few of the large 

 arable farms on the south-east coast, such as Cuhnaily, Crakaig, 

 Dunrobin Mains, and Clvnehsh, a number of ewes and wethers 

 are fed annually on grass, turnips, and cake. But these are 

 exceptions. Sutherland is a breeding and rearing, not a feeding, 

 county. Some farmers sell their lambs to be deHvered about the 

 same time as the older sheep, thus keeping few except breeding 

 animals ; but this also is an exception. 



Perhaps the best idea of the details of management in the 

 system of sheep-farming pursued in Sutherland may be conveyed 

 by taking a t}'}3ical hy]^othetical case of a tenant entering a farm 

 at Whitsunday, the usual term of entry, and by following liim 

 throughout liis first twelve months. He would take over froiti 

 the outgoing tenant, at a valuation fixed by mutually-chosen 

 arbiters, a ewe and wether stock corresponding to say 2000 

 ewes. In an ordinary year from 75 to 85 lambs are nursed for 

 every 100 ewes tupped, so that, alongside the 2000 ewes, there 

 would be at least 1500 lambs. The death-rate per annum, in 

 ordinary seasons, is from 5 to 10 per cent. Taking it at the 

 higher rate, the supposed incoming tenant would find 1350 one- 

 year old sheep, say 675 gimmers and 675 dinmonts, and, in 

 round numbers, 610 two-year old wethers and 550 three-year old 

 wethers ; he thus commences operations with a grand total of 

 6010,-2000 ewes, 1500 lambs, 675 gimmers, 675 dmmonts, 610 

 two-year old wethers, and 550 three-year old wethers. Besides 

 two or three " turnip herds," or shepherds who go with hoggs to 

 the wintering, there are seven shepherds on the farm, each of 

 four havin<T under his charcfe 500 ewes and their lambs. The 

 ewes occupy the lower and tlie greener land, the others the 

 higher and blacker. Clipping commences with the " eild " sheep 

 from the first week of June till the first week of July, accordmg 

 to the season, weather, and condition of the stock, the smeared 

 sheep having been washed immediately before. White or dipped 

 fleeces weigh from 3^ to 5^" lbs., smeared fleeces from 4| to 7 lbs. 

 Perhaps, before the chpping is finished, the tenant goes to the 

 Inverness Wool Fair, usually held about the second week of 

 July, and, on the reputation the stock of the farm may have 

 earned, sells liis three-year old wethers, and perhaps also his 



