SCOTCH HILL SHEEP. 269 



be lost when a storm comes. It is a well known fact, that 

 sheep in good order will much more readily take to an entirely 

 new kind of food than those in lean condition, or down in spirit 

 from want of food. Having once learned, there is no furtlier 

 difficulty. To avoid as much as possible disturbing the usual 

 habits of the sheep, we have the troughs carried out to con- 

 venient, sheltered positions on the high land close by the places 

 where the sheep habitually lie at night. During a severe storm 

 of snow it would be impossible or absurd to think of feeding so 

 high up. We refer to the cold and backward weather which 

 occurs often in winter and more particularly spring. When a 

 good year comes we strongly believe in giving no feeding what- 

 ever, and our experience is, as we have already briefly stated, 

 that the ewes we have taken most care of and fed most regularly 

 during bad weather in previous years, those in fact which have 

 never got down in condition, do best in seasons when they require 

 no artificial food. This shows clearly that the constitution is 

 preserved rather than injured by moderate feeding. 



Feeding is done once a day — early in the morning before the 

 sheep leave their resting ground, which they do a little later 

 than usual on a frosty morning. The advantages of this time 

 over any other are numerous. Xo extra " gathering " is 

 required ; the sheep lose no valuable time. After feeding they 

 lie down for a short while to chew the cud, and are retarded 

 from beginning to eat rimy grass on a frosty morning, which is 

 hurtful to all sheep, but particularly to those under a year old, 

 being the great means of inducing the disease called braxy, 

 especially if the grass be " tath " or that dark-green luxuriant 

 growth which springs from the droppings of animals, usually of 

 cattle. They are further stimulated by the concentrated food to 

 greater exertion through the day. Should the ground be plated 

 by a frozen covering of snow, they are supported until it becomes 

 soft, as noon approaches, then they work steadily till night, 

 scraping away the snow as instinct directs them. The cattle of 

 Europe will not scrape like sheep and horses, but starve where 

 either of the others thrive. A little attention is required at first 

 to prevent any sheep hanging about the troughs tOD long, but 

 this is no great difficulty, as they are very easily trained if regu- 

 larly reminded of their duties. Having rested for a short time, 

 they spread out over the lower and better feeding ground, and 

 have all day undisturbed to pick up what is to be had, return- 

 ing as darkness sets in to dry elevations near to the troughs. 

 After clipping, sheep naturally do this little tour daily, but for a 

 while before that time are inclined to be lazy, and require more 

 attention to see that they do it. During summer, from before 

 lambing time (April in the north) until about the beginning of 

 October, sheep do not as a rule rise at night to feed, but move at 



