216 THE BLACKFACED BREED OF SHEEP. 



ought to be got rid of. On these animals there is a great 

 proportion of the wool " kempy/' or full of hard white hair, and 

 destitute of felting property. It is observed that sheep with 

 strong or rising noses are generally hardier in constitution than 

 those with weak hollow faces. The most objectionable point of 

 the present race of Highland sheep is the inferiority of its wool. 

 The average yield is as nearly as possible 4 J lbs. per hogg, 

 3 J lbs. per ewe, and from 4 to 5 lbs. per wether. The return, 

 both in quantity and quality, varies in accordance w^ith the 

 nature of the pasture, soil, and climate on which the sheep are 

 kept. A higher return is obtained in the south of Scotland 

 than in the northern counties. Where the sheep are pastured 

 on strong grassy land, the quality of the wool is finer than when 

 they are confined to heathery pasture ; but the latter gives an 

 additional f]avour to the mutton, which is a favourite commodity 

 in the metropolitan markets. The females of the blackfaced 

 breed are not so prolific as those of the Cheviot or Leicester 

 breeds, there being as a rule a return of only one lamb for each 

 ewe. It sometimes happens, however, that Highland ewes have 

 two lambs, but in the majority of cases, or in fact in nearly 

 every case, they give birth to and foster only one lamb. The 

 number of ewes allotted to each ram varies with the different 

 systems of management, but one tup has often been known to 

 sire over 60 lambs. 



On the better farms in the south of Scotland the return of 

 wool is considerably heavier than on the northern pastures, 

 having been greatly improved since the pastures came under 

 the management of the present tenants. As an instance of this, 

 I may mention that in 1864, which was a fairly representative 

 year, tlie average weight per fleece of ewes and hoggs on Mr 

 Howatson's (Glenbuck) pastures, was 4J lbs., whereas in 1875 

 it was 5^ lbs. ; in 1876, notwithstanding the severe season, it 

 was 5| lbs,, thus showing an increase of 40 per cent, in twelve 

 years. Since 1876 this successful breeder has raised the average 

 yield of wool per ewe p'ld hogg to about 5J lbs. 



Management of Higliland Sheep. 



Over the immese tracts of mountainland, which constitute a 

 large proportion of the entire area of the United Kingdom, a 

 very efficient system of pastoral farming has prevailed for 

 nearly half a century. As early as the advent of the present 

 century, many flockowners in the south of Scotland had begun 

 to give a considerable amount of attention to the management of 

 mountain pastures, and their good example ultimately extended 

 to the remotest corners of Britain. Generally speaking, every 

 large sheep farm is so situated that one part of it is best adapted 



