238 THE BLACKFACED BREED OF SHEEP. 



commanding tlie highest price. A fairly remunerative price 

 may be said to be 18s. per stone of 24 lbs. The prevalent price 

 of late has been from 12s. to 143. The lambs are weaned at two 

 different times — the wedders at the beginning of August, and 

 the ewes a fortnight later. For both kinds the principal market 

 is at Lanark, the one fair being held a fortnight later than the 

 other. For wether lambs a satisfactory price is from 15s. to IBs. 

 Before being marketed the ewe lambs are drawn, the best are 

 retained for the maintenance of the stock ; and the seconds, 

 which are not required for this purpose, are sold. Of late years 

 the demand for these lambs has been very brisk, in consequence 

 of their popularity for crossing purposes, and also of the desire 

 to substitute them for Cheviots. Thev have therefore com- 

 manded good prices, and from 22s. to 24s. has been a figure very 

 commonly paid for them. This brings the round of the year to 

 a close. 



In the south, it may be added, rents average about 7s. or 8s, 

 per head, where the hoggs are reckoned as part of the holding. 

 This rent may be said to be largely the growth of recent years. 

 In proof of this, it may be mentioned that in a General Vieu- of 

 Berwicl'sliire, written in 1794 by Alexander Lowe, it is stated 

 that thirtv or forty years before that date a common rent was Is. 

 6d. per head, and that this figure had risen first to 2s. 6d. and 

 then to 4s. 6d. In the north the manac^ement differs from that 

 just described, inasmuch as is the necessary result of the stock 

 being partly ewes and partly wethers. The sales from a High- 

 land farm embrace the wethers, which are usually disposed of 

 when three years old, and the draft ewes, which are sold at the 

 same age as in the south. The principal markets for these are 

 Inverness in July, and Perth sales and Falkirk tryst in October. 

 In addition to these sales, there is of course the wool. Smear- 

 ing is still followed by a number of farmers in these districts, 

 The believers in this practice are, however, yearly becoming fewer. 

 The most serious consideration which north country men have 

 to face is the cost of wintering. Within the last twenty years 

 the expenditure entailed by this has doubled, and now as much 

 as 7s. and 8s. per head has to be paid. The rent itself usually 

 runs from about 2s. to 3s. on the summer stock. In connection 

 with the Highlands, it is important that it should be pointed out 

 that the extension of the fences would be one of the greatest 

 advantages that could be conferred on the pastoral interests. 

 Were farms fenced, sheep would be prevented from straying and 

 being lost, s^ab might at last even be got rid of, and in the 

 neighbourhood of deer forests there would be no more trouble 

 and annoyance arising from complaints of trespassing. 



The principal diseases from which the blackfaced breed 

 suffer are braxy, rot, louping-ill, pining, sturdy, and foot-rot. 

 None of these diseases are of recent growth ; they are all common, 



