Live Stock. ~Skeep Profit of Keeping. 693 



-countries to erect circular folds on the tops oflow hills for the fame purpofe : and 



when the heath is all covered, they fometimes harrow the mow in order to bring 



up the heath ; for which ufe the harrows mould only have few but long teeth. Some 



have recourfe to feeding with hay or unthremed oats in handfuls upon the fnow.* 



But as thefe only afford a precarious fupport, a proper winter food, well fuited for 



their ufe and adapted to fuch fituations, would be of the greateft value and utility. 



It has been fuggefted by Mr. Marlhall, &quot; that cultivating plots of furze, broom, 



jumper, &c. by fod-burning, and rippling the furface, or by other more eligible 



means, could not fail of proving beneficial upon the wintering grounds of a meep- 



farm. By means of thefe, as a refource in the deepeft fnow, when the herbage of 



the braes was buried too deep, and too evenly to be uncovered by the fcraping of 



the fheep, by keeping the moft expofed parts of the braes in full herbage for lefs 



.general coverings of fnow, and by refer ve of rape for the feafon of lambing, even 



ewe flocks might be fupported through the winter with fome degree of certainty* 



without dry fodder, and without being left to the uncertainty of the feafons, and 



the mercy of the winds and weather, as they are at prefent.&quot; 



The produce or profit of keeping ftieep muft obvioufly differ very confiderably 

 according to the circumftances under which they are conducted, the nature of the 

 breed that is employed, and the goodnefs of the management purfued in keeping 

 them. There are fo many caufes that affect the profits in this fort of hulbandry, 

 that it is probable no two fheep-farmers have exactly the fame returns. 



In the Annals of Agriculture,-)- feveral detafled ftatements of the advantage of&quot; 

 fheep-hufbandry, when conducted on an extenfive fcale, are given with much 

 clearnefs and accuracy. In Suffolk, according to Mr. Macro s account (which 

 was not made directly with the view of mewing the profit that may be derived 

 from fheep, but the difad vantage of a flout flock), the profit on 494 ewes is i6 t 

 or 8d. per head. 



But in SufTex, in Mr. Ellman s ilatement, on 560 ewes it (lands at~i47, * 

 (;s. 3d. per head. 



And in the Duke of Grafton s eftimate on 40 fcore it is ^134, or 35. 4d. per 

 head 4 From the late improvements in Iheep-hufbandry, it is probable that the 

 prefent eftimates (land much higher. The profits in the different fyflems of 

 fatting fheep have been already ftated. 



* Perth Correfted Report. f See Volumes II. VII and XI. 



; See Grazing. ,1 Ibid. 



