ON THE AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF SUTHERLAND. 77 



" shott laniLs " and " cast ewes," the ewes being four or five, 

 perhaps a few even six, years old. He may also dispose of his 

 wool at the fair, or may store it at liome, or consign it to a 

 broker, most likely either in Leith, or Edinlnirgh, or Glasgow. 

 He may likewise purchase his smearing and dii)ping materials. 

 The weaning of the lambs, an important operation, takes place 

 in the last week of July or first week of August* Wlien taken 

 from their mothers the lambs arc " sorted," that is, the worst are 

 drawn and delivered at once to the purchasers if they have been 

 sold, or sent for sale to the Muir of Ord or other market. The 

 others of the year's crop are put on to the greenest of the land, 

 reserved for tbe pur]iose, and, if the pasture is sufficiently good, 

 kept there till the first week of October, when they are sent for 

 wintering either to an arable farm on the south-east coast of the 

 county, or to Caitlmess, Eoss, Moray, or elsewhere. If there is 

 not sufficient green pasture on the farm, the lambs are sent 

 straight from tlieir motliers to grass in wliatever district they are 

 to be wintered. During the first ten days of Septemljer the 

 sheep sold at the Inverness "Wool Fair, in other words, the cast 

 ewes and three-year old wethers of the year, are delivered to the 

 purchasers, the sheep being driven to the nearest railway station, 

 and conveyed thence l)y rail. If the tenant is not satisfied with 

 the prices offered at the wool fair, he may accept the alternative 

 of going south with his " cast " to Falkirk Tryst, and take his 

 chance of the prices there. The " lots " sent away consist of the 

 550 three and a half year old wetliers, and about 500 ewes 

 drawn according to age and condition of teeth. By the sending 

 away of this draft, the " hirsels " that remain are reduced to 

 numbers that are more easily managed in winter. Before being 

 sent to the wintering the lambs are dipped with oil and tobacco- 

 juice, or some other solution, at a cost of less than 3d. a-head. 

 That operation over, and the hoggs having left, attention is at once 

 directed to the preparing of the " hirsels " remaining at home for 

 the approaching winter. The "hirsels," invariably the wethers, 

 occupying the higher and colder ground, are smeared with a 

 mixture of tar and liutter in equal proportions, with perhaps a 

 little oil and milk added, the cost being from 8d. to lOd. a-head. 

 The remaindet- of the stock is dipped with a solution similar to 

 that with which the lambs were dressed. The tups are sent to 

 the ewes, about the 22d of November, and taken back about 

 Christmas, from forty to fifty ewes being allotted to each, a 

 few of the strongest and hardiest of the gmimers being also 

 tupped. The tenant requiras from forty-four to fifty tups. 

 Most of these he would have among the stock taken over at valua- 

 tion, but a few have been bought in from the best bred and most 

 suitable flocks in Sutherland and in the south of Scotland. 

 Two or three of tlie better bred tups are mated with choice lots 



