226 THE BLACKFACED BREED OF SHEEP. 



room for improvement in any case. It cannot be improved, 

 however, by crossing the blackfacecl with other breeds, without 

 impairing the hardiness and natural characteristics of the High- 

 land breed. The tups used ou all kinds of pasture should have 

 strong shaggy coats, entirely free from " kemps." The wool 

 must not be short and curly, but, on the contrary, long and 

 straight in the staple. Mr Aitken considers that the best way 

 to improve the wool of the Highland breed is to select the best 

 ewes, whether deficient or not in wool, and mating them with 

 good hardy well-bred tups. This invariably gives rise to a stock 

 of capitally woolled lambs. Crossing blackfaced sheep with 

 other breeds, says Mr Aitken, has always a detrimental effect, 

 and after introducing strange blood into a flock, it is several 

 years before it can be reduced to a state of purity. 



Mr J. Moffat, Gateside, Sanquhar,Dumfriesshire,says — "Black- 

 faced sheep at one time, within the past thirty years, threatened 

 extinction by the growing interest shown in the Cheviot breed, 

 but winters have been so severe in recent years, that the 

 mortality amongst the latter mentioned variety has been so 

 great as to necessitate restocking of farms with the blackfaced 

 or heath breed, whose hardihood is better calculated to withstand 

 rigorous climates. In this part of the country it is now 

 threatening to be overdone." Sheep farming, says Mr Moffat, 

 could be made to pay better by increased liberality on the part 

 of the landlord in renting farms. The average yield of wool per 

 animal in this district is about 5 lbs. Mr Moffat holds that 

 there is no profit in smearing sheep, but on farms where this is 

 practised the average outlay per head is about 9d. He dips his 

 own flock twice a year, using arsenic and carbolic acid, which 

 cost about 4s. per 100 sheep. 



A gentleman who has been singularly successful in improving 

 the quality of the wool of his large and superior flock of black- 

 faced sheep is Mr Eobert Buchanan, Kill earn. He has also by 

 careful attention greatly raised the character of his flock ; and 

 besides having won many distinguished prizes in agricultural 

 shows, he has obtained high prices for his shearling tups. Kot 

 later than the month of June last, he sold a lot of shearling tups 

 to Mr Malcolm of Poltalloch, Argyllshire, at £20 each. The 

 only means, he says, of improving the type of the blackfaced 

 sheep is by careful selection from the best stocks, and he would 

 suggest the following as the points which a good sheep should 

 possess : — Strong bone, a good face, w^ell laid-in shoulder, well 

 set on nice short legs, wool free from " kemps," and coarse hair. 

 He has during the present year (1883) sold hoggets about eleven 

 months old at 51s., and he says 45s. is quite a common price 

 when well fed on turnips and grain. These are extensively 

 bought in by low country farmers to feed instead of crosses, as 

 they cost generally about 10s. a head less than greyfaced lambs. 



