266 THE NATURAL AND AETIFICIAL FOOD OF 



will admit is right, yet many do it without thinking, because 

 it is not the custom to feed sheep on a hill while lambing. It 

 is clear then, that, to be successful in giving hill sheep artificial 

 food, they must only get it when they require it ; they must 

 not have too much nor yet too little ; and they must have it 

 given at such a time and in such a place as will enable and 

 encourage them, not to neglect the natural food at their disposal, 

 but be a stimulant to further exertions in the way of making 

 use of even more of this than formerly. This can be done, and 

 has been done by us successfully, and on a large scale for three 

 years. The sheep practised on were about 1800 (mostly 

 Cheviots) on the farm of Twiglees, Eskdalemuir ; and others on 

 various places with which we had connection. In the case of 

 Twiglees, had the stock been a good one and doing well, there 

 might have been some risk in making such a great and sudden 

 change as feeding so many sheep with artificial food. We had 

 no fear from this, however, as nothing but very extraordinary 

 management could possibly have made a stock do worse than 

 it was doing under the old system before the farm came to 

 our hands. As proof of this, I only require to say that between 

 the time we got it — Whitsunday 1879 — and weaning time, which 

 was in the following September, 220 lambs died out of 1100 

 delivered to us; and the place was herded by the same men and 

 stocked in the same way, as it had been for years before. The 

 chances were therefore much in our favour that any change would 

 be for the better ; aud it is gratifying to be able to say that we 

 are pleased with the result. The sheep naturally go in distinct 

 " hirsels " or lots, and it was thus an easv matter to have a certain 

 number receiving no artificial food, and various other lots receiv- 

 ing different quantities; some were begun to be fed early in spring, 

 some late ; and the feeding of some stooped off before the grass 

 had quite come, and of others continued until they could get a 

 " full bite." It would load the paper, and be of no real good, to 

 state the different exact amount given to A, B, or C lot of sheep ; 

 as in any case the effects on the stock must be judged of by our 

 selves. 



The first opportunity we had of observing the effects of 

 artificial food on hill sheep on an extensive scale was during 

 the severe snowstorm of December 1873 which lasted for nearly 

 a month, and begun to break up on New Year's Day. Every- 

 thing was so covered up and plated over, by the snow partially 

 thawing and then freezing, that sheep could not get down by 

 scraping, except in some places which had steep heathery hill 

 sides with a southern exposure. Then they w^ere able to break 

 through about the " heat of the day," and the snow naturally 

 slipping down out of the way, they got at their food. 



The sheep referred to consisted of about 3000 little Galloway 



