CATTLE OR SHEEP TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY. 231 



over all that country. Besides, it is well known that a mixture 

 of cattle occasionally introduced into sheep pastures consume 

 the rank grasses and render tlie pasture more wholesome, and 

 no sheep in the world thrive better or become more valuable 

 than pet sheep accustomed to feed among cows. So that the 

 sheep gain more by this system in crops than they lose in 

 pasture, and the farmer and the public derive great advantages 

 from a proper number of Ijlack cattle adapted to the spare 

 summer pasture grass which can be afforded them." 



I have not thought it necessary to make any distinction 

 between Cheviot and blackfaced sheep in the remarks which I 

 have made, these remarks so far as they go being equally 

 applicable to both classes. It must, however, be kept in view 

 that blackfaced sheej) will make choice of grass and herbs 

 peculiar to hard ground and hillsides, whereas the Cheviot will 

 use rich grass suitable for black cattle. It follows then that 

 the blackfaced sheep are less injurious to the pasture reserved 

 for cattle, and that it is not so necessary to exclude them as it 

 would be to keep the whitefaced kind away. 



Several years ago, when the price of wool ran very high, the 

 price of Cheviot so far surpassed that of the blackfaced as to 

 induce many farmers to exchange the latter for the former. 

 Of late years, however, the difference in the price of the two 

 kinds of wool being much reduced, the superior healthfulness 

 and hardihood of the blackfaced is increasing their numbers, 

 and I know various skilful farmers, with abundance of capital, 

 who have returned to the blackfaced after having made a fair 

 trial of the Cheviot. 



Again, in speaking of cattle fitted to thrive on hill pasture, 

 I mean AVest Higliland cattle. Ayrshire cows are found in con- 

 siderable numbers throughout every county of the Highlands. 

 They are justly valued on account of the quantity of milk which 

 they yield ; and I have seen first crosses between them and pure 

 Highland bulls strong and hardy. But beyond a doubt, the 

 genuine West Highland cow of pure breed is much liardier and 

 healthier tlian either pure Ayrshire or any mixture of the blood. 

 Therefore, it need hardly be said that, if tlie exposed hill pastures 

 are to be utilised by cattle, the West Highhmd must be employed 

 for the purpose. 



There were strong grounds of opposition taken by the small 

 tenantry — corresponding to the present "crofters" — in that 

 the giving over extensive hillsi(k^s to the hands of one man, 

 who grazed large ilocks of sheep on it, necessarily deprived 

 tliem of their j)ossessions, drove many of them to narrow out- 

 Iving corners of the land, and very nianv into exile from their 

 native home. Tlie " big slice]) " were the objects of many 

 indignant denunciations and of many curses, as expressed in 



