THE BLACKFACED BREED OF SHEEP. 225 



in doicg it. He clips his sheep twice a year, at a cost of about 

 6d. per head. The only way in which he considers the wool of 

 the blackfaced sheep could be improved is by procuring the best 

 blood for breeding purposes. 



Mr James Archibald, Overshiels, Stow, says blackfaced sheep 

 farming is now more extensively pursued than it was ten or 

 twelve years ago. Cheviots were then the favourite breed in 

 many districts, but in consequence of the very great reduction in 

 the price of wool, combined with the effects of the recent bad 

 years, that breed has greatly depreciated in the estimation of 

 sheep farmers. It is actually dying out and giving place to the 

 hardier blackfaced race. 



Writing to us on the same subject, Mr James Greenshields, 

 West Town, Lesmahagow, says — " Between thirty-five or forty 

 years ago the blackfaced sheep were very much supplanted by 

 Cheviots, but a reaction has again taken place, and the blackfaced 

 breed is rapidly being re-established. As early as the first of the 

 present century, almost every Hock of blackfaced sheep was 

 smeared, but now smearing is all but unknown. In this district 

 the yield of wool per ewe is from 5 lbs. to 6^ lbs., the yield 

 per hogg being 1 lb. more, which is about the average of other 

 southern districts. Smearino- cannot be done at anvthincr less 

 than 8d. per head." Mr Greenshields has tried some experiments 

 in the crossing of the blackfaced with other breeds. He has 

 used Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Border Leicester tups to black- 

 faced ewes with little success. He preferred the produce of the 

 Leicester tup, however, to that of any of the others, as they 

 matured more rapidly, were earlier ready for market, and fed ou 

 scantier fare. 



In this district, says Mr Aitkeu, Listonshiels, and in the south 

 of Scotland generally, sheep farming is far more extensively 

 pursued than it was fifty years ago. Blackfaced sheep have 

 been increasing in popularity during the past quarter of a 

 century. Their fine hardy constitution enables them to with- 

 stand the severity of the winter and backward summers better 

 than any other breed. The Cheviot and other breeds are dying 

 out in Scotland. There is most money to be taken out of black- 

 faced sheep when properly managed, and in recent years black- 

 faced sheep farming has been more remunerative than in earlier 

 periods. South country farmers have become alive to this fact, 

 and more attention is now being bestowed on the breeding and 

 rearing of young stock. The average clip on Mr Aitken's farm 

 is 5| lbs. per animal. Smearing is not practised in his neigh- 

 bourhood. He di])S his shei'p once a year, either in the month 

 of Fel)ruury or October. His lambs are always di})ped at wean- 

 ing time. The cost of di}»ping is about IMs. per 100 sheep, or 

 2d. per head. On soft grassy pasture the quality of wool is 

 always better than on hard heathery land, but there is great 



p 



