lSc3. On the Management of ^hee^. i6i 



but it Is not pofTible, confidering the nature of tlie animal, foil 

 and climr.te, that they can ever have a Itock equal in hcalthinefs, 

 and hardincfs, to that they arc now refolved on the del^ruftion of. 

 I pointedly aflerr, tliat to lay tlie forcft breed upon a farm 

 where the foil i? dry, and the cxpofiire warm, argues as much 

 ignorance in fa»-inin^, as laying the Cheviot kind upon a high,\ver, 

 lloraiy pafture, indicates imprudence ; for it is abfulutely cer- 

 tain, (though the cuirent report, and opinion of the times fr. /s 

 othervvlfe), that the Cheviot breed neitlier will, nor can feed 

 upon inch coarfe ppflure as the Foreit breed. The Che- 

 viot breed is naturally more luxurious, more indolent, and 

 ci^nfequently more tender and delicate, than the other, 

 and either taftes very fparingly of, or altogether rejcd:s 

 what the other voluntarily choofes, and delights to feed on. The 

 Cheviot kind, laid upon a proper foil, will, no doubt, feed to a 

 greater weight than the foreft breed, upon the moil fultable foil 

 that can be found; yet give them both an equal chance in the rear- 

 ing, and after management upon a cold, wet, andfomewhat ftormy 

 farm, (and many of our highland farms are of this defci iption), 

 and the fliort iheep xvill be conliderably heavier. I fpeak not 

 this from prejudice; it comes daily under my obfervation, and 

 has for acourfeof years been exemplified in a fair and complete 

 trial. 



Certain dom-efric confiderations make it imprudent at this time 

 to fay where, and ho;v the experiment was made : but perhaps I 

 may explain the procefs of management more precifely, whenever 

 thefe confiderations are no more. The refults of my obferva- 

 tions are thefe : The Cheviot breed are remarkablv fond of paf- 

 tnrlngori foft tathy places, but have an unconquerable averfion to 

 feeding upon flrong coarfe meat, — th«yare very indolent,and, when 

 fnow is upon the ground, their utmoll exertion is to occupy fuch 

 places as have been broken by the natives, — they fhrink difpirit- 

 cvl from the (leety blafts of fpring, while the fliort fheep fet out 

 Vv'ith great activity for the molfes, where they gather fuch clean 

 and wliolefome quick meat as foon re-invigorates their exhaulled 

 ilrengtli. In Ihort, the foil being incapable of carrying the animal 

 to that perfection and ilrength its component parts require, 

 its growth is limited to the efHciency of the foil, or rather to their 

 partial and unequal way of palturing it. 



I am no advocate for the iliort iheep farther than continuing 

 them upon farms, where it would be improper to introduce the 

 Cheviot breed ; and, though the ilrenuous advocates for the lat- 

 ter contend, that they will anfwer upon almoil any foil in Scot- 

 land, yet the praftical farmer, who has tried tlie experiment, 

 k,aows the contrary. They may as well aUedge^ that the weakly 



and 



