5^ Cl>fervaUGns on Shtep. Not-^ 



TO THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FARMER's MAGAZINE. 



Ohftrvations en Shsep. 

 Sir, 



In your laH: Number * A Cheviot breeder' fays, that repeat- 

 ed experimerts have completely eflabllllicd the fapcrlority of the 

 Cheviot breed of iheep, over the Foreft and all other kinds in high- 

 land fituations •, that they attain early maturity, and that if any 

 crdvocate of the contrary opinion willies to have a public proof, 

 there are breeders of the Cheviot llieep, who, when called on, 

 will not fhrink from making the trial. In the fame Number, 

 another Correfpondent maintaii^s, that it is abfolutely certain, ther 

 Cheviot neither will, nor can feed on fuch coarfe pafture as the 

 Forell breed •, that they are indolent, luxurious and tender-, and 

 that from fair and complete trials and daily obfervations, he is^ 

 convinced, that on cold and ftormy farms, the latter will attain 

 the greatt-'ft vyeight, &c. And * A breeder of the coalheaver'& 

 mutton,' (who, if I am not much miftaken, is well acquainted 

 with ail the breeds of fheep in Great Britain), fays, that he has^ 

 long thought the Foreft a moft valuable breed, and con- 

 feffcdly bell calculated to withftand the feverity of the cold 

 upon high heathy n^ountains, where no other ilieep he is ac- 

 qainted with can fubfifi. 1 am now confiderably concerned in 

 breeding and feeding, and anxious to obtain information from 

 men of exptrience ; but, with fuch difcordant opinions and 

 ftatements before me, am unable to determine which is the moft 

 profitable kind of iTieep, The breeding and management of live 

 ftock, is certainly of great importance, not only to the occupiers 

 and proprietors of land, but the community at large \ and as 

 nothing is fo convincing as the refults of accurate and properly 

 conduced experiments, it will be highly gratifying to me, and, 

 I prelume, advantageous to the public, if the above correfpond- 

 cnts, or any other able and impartial breeders, will be fo oblig- 

 ing as to communicate, through the medium of your Maga- 

 zine, nfull and particular account of experiments, inftituted with 

 a view of afcertaining the merits of the different breeds of fheep, 

 together wirh their refults. It is contended by tnany breeders, 

 that the Cheviot are as hardy and healthy, on itormy mountain- 

 ous heat: y paftures, from the time they are lambed^ till that of their 

 being drafted for fattening, as the Foreft fheep ; that their weight 

 and propenfity to fatten are greater ; and that thefe paftures will 

 fupport as many, or very nearly as many, fheep of the one kind 

 as the other. If their arguments :tre well founded, it feems to 

 follow, that the Cheviot is the moft valuable kind, their fleeces 

 Irring worth 3s. to 4s. 3d. } whereas, thofe of the Foreft breed are 



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