414 Report on the A(/riculture of Ciunherland, 



times of storm will instinctively huddle together in places where 

 snow is not likely to drift to a great depth. The lambing 

 season extends from the middle of April to the end of May, 

 when the ewes are brought down into the in-fields, and kept 

 until the lambs are sufficiently strong to go to the heaths. About 

 110 to 120 lambs to every 100 ewes are considered a fair crop ; 

 but doublets are by no means uncommon, and triplets now and 

 then occur. After losses are taken off, however, in rare instances 

 <loes a flock rear moi'e than one lamb per ewe throughout. The 

 ewes which have more than one lamb are sometimes kept for 

 a few weeks in the enclosed lands to ensure a good supply of milk. 

 After the ewes have bred pure Herdwick lambs for four or five 

 years, those upon the enclosed commons are crossed with a 

 Leicester tup, and the offspring bear the name of crosses or half- 

 breds. The ewes are then fed off and taken to market. Herdwick 

 wethers are allowed to run upon the heaths until between four 

 and five years of age ; they are then put upon better pastures and 

 sold off as they become fat. The flesh of the pure-bred Herd- 

 wick is much esteemed by the gentry and landed proprietors of 

 the county for its delicacy of flavour ; and many purchase a few 

 four-year-old wethers at the back end of the year, and slaughter 

 them for their own use as they become ready, or rather as they 

 are required. Many also are annually sent into Scotland for a 

 similar purpose. Several far-seeing flockmastei's of the present 

 day, however, strongly deprecate the system of running the 

 wethers upon the heaths until they are four years old, not only 

 because it is an unprofitable practice, but also because it is 

 unnecessary, inasmuch as they are convinced that a three-year- 

 old sheep would give quite as much satisfaction when brought 

 to table as one two years older, were the fact not divulged. 

 Wethers of the Herdwick breed will feed to upwards of 20 lbs. 

 per quarter, or even more when artificial food is given. The 

 wool of the Herdwick is coarse, and the clip rarely averages 

 over 3 lbs. per head for an entire flock. 



The crosses between the Leicester and Herdwick are much 

 admired for feeding purposes, having an extraordinary aptitude 

 to fatten early, and the flesh being highly flavoured and juicy. 

 Lambs are usually sold during the months of August and Sep- 

 tember, high prices being sometimes realised. For example, in 

 the autumn of 1872, several breeders obtained as much as 305. per 

 head for their fall throughout : others from 25^. to 275. Certainly 

 the season was an exceptional one, and the marked demand 

 caused breeding to be carried on to a greater extent in the fol- 

 lowing year, so that a reduction had to be submitted to. As 

 soon as the lambs are purchased, they are generally dipped to 

 free them from parasites, a very small proportion being salved at 



