ON THE CHEVIOT BREED OF SHEEP. 121 



very largely patronised. But, notwitlistaiidiiig that they have 

 still as formerly every opp(jrtuuity of securing the best terms, 

 farmers have lately found the sale of this class of wool one of 

 the most unsatisfactory transactions connected with sheep- 

 farming. Formerly 36s. per stone of 24 lbs. was considered a 

 fair average price, l)ut at present rates are as low as from 20s. to 

 2os. Of this fall there was some experience last season, for the 

 prices then current did not range higher than from 30s. to 32s., 

 but it is only within the present year (1879) that the drop has 

 become so great, the depreciation this season having Ijeen equal 

 to nearly 10s. per stone. One cause of this serious depression is 

 no dt)ubt the prevalence of l)ad trade throughout the country 

 and the consequent restriction in the expenditure of conmiuni- 

 ties, and, in so far as the markets are affected by this, a revival 

 may of course be expected. But, on the other hand, another 

 cause that has to be taken cognizance of may not be so temporary 

 in its operation, and this is the supply of wool sent into the 

 home country by Australian and colonial farmers, who, by cross- 

 ing their sheep with Lincoln and Leicester tups, have got into a 

 class of fleece with which they have been able to undersell the 

 Cheviot. After the clipping, the next work that has to be 

 attended to is the speaning of the lambs, which takes place 

 between the middle and the end of August. At this time a 

 selection is made of the top ewe lambs which are to be kept for 

 maintaining the stock ; and the seconds, as well as the wedder 

 lambs, are then put into the market. Of late, the demand for 

 Cheviot ewe lambs has been exceptionally brisk, owing to the 

 practice of crossing them with Leicester tups, and as high a 

 figure as 36s. has been got, while a common price has been from 

 26s. to 28s. After a severe season, however, there are, unfortu- 

 nately, almost none of these lambs to sell. For some time past 

 the trade for wedder lambs has been a disappointing one. 

 Formerly they were very much in request for grazing in Fife 

 and one or two other north-eastern counties, but for this purpose 

 half-breds are now the favourites. Another circumstance that 

 has told against the trade is, that in the Highlands a good deal 

 of land that was once under Cheviot wedders has been thrown 

 into deer-forests, and buyers from the north have consequently 

 had fewer commissions. 



With the disposal of the draft ewes, which are, in the western 

 tlistrict, sent away at six-year old, the year's round of manage- 

 ment is brought to a close about the beginning of October. 

 In regard to the payment of the shepherd, it should be men- 

 tioneil that the common practice is t(j pay in kind, — every man 

 having in his hirsel from forty to forty-tive of his own sheep, 

 which are handed from one shepherd to another by valuation. 

 This system has, however, been recently discontmued on a 



