1803. On Cheviot Sheep. i^cf 



their improvement; for while lime or otlicr calcareouf manures 

 were uncierftocid to be ncceH'iry, the diftance of many moll'trs, 

 from thefe articles, as well as the expence of purchafiii<^ them, 

 might naturally deter prudent people from the undtrtakinj^. 



As to tlu' growth of trees on drained mofTes, Mr Dcmpfter 

 obferves, that on the dry parts of the mofs of Rtltcue'th, the 

 Scotifti firs, the feeds of which had been blown from fome 

 neighbouring plantations of that wood, took root, and grew very 

 kin My, though they have fince been deftrnyed by the palluring 

 of cattle in the moifs, after attaining the height of two or three 

 feet.— 0c7. 1802. 



TO THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FARMERS MAGAZINE. 



On Cheviot Sheep. 

 Sir, 



Being In the conftant habit of reading your valuable publica- 

 tion, from which much ufeful information maybe obtained, and 

 from which it may be expe£^ed the public will drrlve both great 

 and beneficial efFecSIs, I cannot help offering you fome obferva- 

 tions on the letter from a farmer in one of the northern 

 counties of England, dated rhe 4th of Otn:ober lall, in- 

 ferted in the fourth number of your third volunie. That 

 there was not any Cheviot ilieep brought to the teil at the lill 

 Camptown fliew, was a matter of deep regret to the members 

 of the Cheviot Society ; not only as ir afforded an opportunity 

 of attributing it to caufes prejudicial to their breed of Iheep, but 

 alfo as it deprived them of giving a public proof of the good- 

 nefs of the breed. It arofe from circumflances purely accident- 

 al, but well underftood in that part of the country ; and I am 

 confident, tliat thofe who are at all acquainted with the clfcum- 

 ftances alluded to, will not fufpeif that it was owing to any ap- 

 prehenfion that the Cheviot (lieep could not ftand in competition 

 with the black-faced, or from any fear of dilgrace from the South 

 pown, or even the new Leicefter breeds Repeated experinn nts 

 have completely eftablilhed the fuperiority of the Cheviot breed' 

 over the Foreft, and all other kinds in highland fituatlons; and 

 it may be admitted, as a proof of this aiiertion, that the demand 

 for Cheviot (heep to other Highland diifri6ls, has increafed eve^ 

 ry year fince they were firil introduced ; and the demand for 

 them this laft, as well as the preceding year, was fo great, that 

 it could not be fupplied. The idea, that Cheviot fhecp will not 

 ^eed at an early a^rj, (feemingly adopted by your correfpondent), 

 and propagated by fome popular writers, to the prejudice 01 tuat 

 vaiuable breed of (lieep, repeated experiments have proved ill? 



S s ^ founded 



