MANAGEMENT OF BLACKFACE WETHERS 541 



the amount of mutton was consumed than beef. The beef 

 supply was confined to the early part of the working days 

 of the week, and nothing but mutton or lamb could be got 

 towards the end of it. Beef was usually a year (or it might 

 be two or three years) older, more mature, and consequently 

 better flavoured, at least when produced from slow-maturity 

 cattle like the West Highland, Ayrshire, or Galloway ; but 

 it had to hang for at least six to eight days to mellow 

 before cooking, and it could not be eaten as young meat 

 now is, cut up immediately after cooling. In similar places 

 the position is now reversed : twice as much beef as mutton 

 is wanted, and it is to be had at any period of the week. 

 Boiling in the old days was a much more frequent, as it 

 is a more economical, method of cooking, than the present 

 practice of roasting, stewing, grilling, or brandering. 



Market changes have brought corresponding changes in 

 management where sheep are still retained. The demand 

 for mature mutton having decreased, ewes are now largely 

 taking the place of wethers where altitude admits. Top 

 wether lambs bring an enhanced price for fattening, and are 

 in a few cases sold and the seconds kept for wethers. These 

 being generally young lambs, grow on good farms, with a 

 little extra expenditure on wintering, into as good sheep at 

 three years as the tops, and as they are in lower condition as 

 lambs the death-rate from braxy is not so heavy during the 

 first year. In some cases these second lambs are kept till 

 four, and they go to the butcher fat from the mountain 

 pasture, from August onwards, at probably 353. each, having 

 lost practically nothing by death in the last two years, and 

 having meanwhile yielded 6J Ibs. to 7 Ibs. of wool during 

 each of the two years. The top lambs are kept on all but 

 the best land liable to braxy as they grow into the best 

 wethers. 



The best top Blackface wether lambs, put direct from 

 their mothers for ten or twelve weeks on to clover followed 

 by rape sown with a little rye grass, should increase in value 

 about is. a week, and weigh, dressed, generally for the 

 London market, up to 32 to 33 Ibs. So superior is rape 

 for the purpose, that, if put on turnips or any other green 

 food, even supplemented with cake, they do not improve 

 for a time. Hoggs wintering at a distance in the low country 



