378 



SHEEP 



as peU, find them by no means devoid of int. -Hi 



Cpe. They have, however, a stupid habit of fol- 

 ing, without scruple, the leader of the Hock ; BO 

 that, when sheep are being driven across a narrow 

 bridge, or where a fence separates the road from a 

 precipice, if anything occur to deter them I nun 

 proceeding in the pro|>er path, and one break over 

 the fence or parapet, more of the flock may be ex- 

 pected to follow, as has sometimes happened, to 

 their utter destruction. Sheep very soon come to 

 know the voice of the shepherd, and also the appear- 

 ance as well as the bark of the shepherd's dog. 

 Though they stand more in awe of the shepherd s 

 voice or commands than of any other human 

 being's, the dogs that regularly move amongst 

 them fail to keep them in such subjection as 

 strange ones do. 



The 'rutting' is from September till the middle 

 of December, according to the variety of sheep and 

 the system of feeding. White-faced modern breeds 

 have the tups early among them, and the hill flocks 

 are later. The period of gestation is from 20 to 21 

 weeks. Ewes occupying sown or low-ground pas- 

 tures lamb in January, February, and March, while 

 those not so well provided for the mountain sheep 

 do not drop their lamlis usually till April. The 

 ancient breeds generally have only one lamb in a 

 season, but modern highly-fed varieties frequently 

 have twins, occasionally triplets, but rarely more. 

 There is at least one variety in England, the Dorset 

 Horn breed, which produces two crops of lambs 

 each year. Lamlw intended to come early into the 

 market are as often as possible dropped in January. 

 Generally lambs are weaned in July and August. 

 Weaning of breeding or store lambs, however, is a 

 feature of modern sTieep-fariuine ; at one time it 

 was not uncommon to see several generations per- 

 sistently following the parent stem. The shearing 

 season ranges from the 1st of May till the middle 

 of July, according to the description of sheep, the 

 nature of the feeding, &c. Autumn is the most 

 common time for the 'dipping,' 'juicing,' or 'smear- 

 ing' of the flocks, to kill vermin, prevent skin 

 disease, and preserve and cultivate the wool crop. 



The great object for which the ancient Britons 

 possessed sheep before the Roman invasion was 

 the production of wool. The demand for meat 

 has now raised the value of mutton and lamb so 

 much, that the farmer finds it profitable to devote 

 much of his attention to supplying the market 

 with these articles ; and theme breeds of sheep are 

 reckoned most valuable which are most suitable 

 for this purpose, even although the crop of the 

 wool is inferior. When there was no food for sheep 

 but the natural pasture, the animals could not be 

 fattened for the market except during summer, and 

 nut until they ha.l attained an age of three, four, 

 or five years; whereas much of the mutton now 

 consumed is the Mesh of sheep not more than two 

 years old, fattening being aided by turnips, man- 

 gold, other green food, oilcake, ami grain. 



The young branches of heath, and in lower situa- 

 tions the shoots of furze, often serve as food for 

 sheep, when the supply of grass fails. Sheep 

 delight in the short grass and peculiar herbage of 

 hill pastures and bare downs; and the mutton 

 produced in xnch pastures, and by the breeds most 

 suitable to them, IH of Hii|M>rior quality to that of 

 the large fat sheep led on richer soils. The latter 

 are also more liable to many diseases, particularly 

 where the ground is at all moist. Aromatic and 

 bitter herlis are particularly relished by sheep. 



The breeds of sheep are very numerous, and very 

 different. The ItlocK-faced Sheep of the High 

 lands of Scotland and of the north of England is 

 perhaps as near the original type as any existing 

 breed. Both main and female have horns ; those of 

 the ram large, with two or more spiral twists, those 



' 



Fig. 1. HUck-fmcwl Run. 



of the ewe much smaller, and little twisted. The 

 face and legs are not always black. Many art 

 speckled, and some principally white. The black- 

 faced sheep is robust, very active, and hardy ; 

 enduring the rigours of a severe winter when sheep 

 of most of the 

 breeds common in 

 Britain would 

 perish. It survives 

 on little food, and 

 shift - admirably for 

 it -elf in a snow- 

 storm. The small 

 quantity and even 

 inferior quality of 

 food with which n 

 black -faced sheep 

 will tide over a 

 snowstorm is most 

 surprising. So 



great indeed is the tenacity of life in black-faced 

 sheep that they have been known to be buried five 

 weeks under a snow-wreath and come out alive. 

 It has a bright, quick eye, with an expression 

 very different from that softness which is seen 

 in many of the breeds preferred for lower grounds 

 and better pastures. The wool is long and coarse, 

 and the weight of the fleece from 3 Ib. to 5 Ib. ; 

 but the mutton is of the finest quality ;' and on 

 this account, and its hardiness, this breed is pre- 

 ferred to any other in many mountainous districts 

 and on rough elevated moors. The Welsh Sheep 

 is much smaller than the black-faced ; both sexes 

 horned ; the colour various ; the mutton highly 

 esteemed ; the lleece seldom weighs 2 Ib. A very 

 little larger breed with big bushy tail, hornless, 

 or with short and little twisted horns, has long 

 existed in the Shetland and Orkney Islands, its 

 wool affording the material for the manufacture 

 of Shetland hosiery. The Shetland and Orkney 

 sheep are very hardy, and in winter feed much 

 on seaweed. Smaller than either of these, and 

 indeed remarkably diminutive, is the hornless 

 Breton Sheep. The Forest Sheep of England, 

 so called from being pastured in the royal forests, 

 has now been supplanted by other breeds. The 

 original forest sheen was generally small, with 

 face and legs russet brown or gray, wild, restless, 

 and difficult to fatten, but producing wool of fine 

 quality. The Dorset Sheep is one of the best of 

 the old English upland breeds. Both sexes have 

 small horns. The wool and mutton are of medium 

 quality ; but the ewes are remarkable for their 

 fecundity, and the abundance of their milk two 

 crops of lambs bring bred and reared by them 

 each year. This breed is valued as affording a 

 supply of early lanili for the London market. The 

 Kyeland Sheep has long existed in Herefordshire 

 and Home neighbouring counties of England. It is 

 small, short limlx-d, white, hornless; produces 

 excellent mutton ; 

 and before the in- 

 troduction of Merino 

 wool ite wool was 

 preferred to every 

 other kind for the 

 manufacture of the 

 finest broadcloths. 



The Cheviot 

 Sheep has existed 

 from time imme- 

 morial on the 

 Cheviot Hills, and 



is now very widely Fig. 2. Cheviot Ewe. 



diffused over a con- 

 siderable part of England and a large extent of 

 Scotland, In- ing hardy and well adapted for high 

 grounds, although it is inferior in hardiness to the 



V. 



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