18 FIELD AND FERN. 



their storm-tried heads despise all shelter save the 

 sky. So much for the native breeds. 



On the farms of Vinsgarth, Reawick, Bigton, 

 and Maryfield the shorthorn has surely made his 

 way for some years past. The first and second cross 

 heifers have been kept for cows, and the young cattle 

 are generally sold as two-year-olds. The Angus bull 

 has been used to some extent at Quendale; and 

 Symbister can boast of a pretty good Ayrshire. 

 Shetland, however, is perhaps rather better adapted 

 for producing sheep than cattle, and where the com- 

 mons have been divided the native breed has been 

 crossed with the Cheviot, in a few instances to three 

 or four generations. Still, the ewes and tups have 

 been so often selected at haphazard that the offspring 

 is a very indifferent sheep, which will hardly bear 

 the expense of shipment to the southern market. 

 The native ewes are now crossed much more fre- 

 quently with a Leicester, and the produce are readily 

 picked up by a certain class of buyers for the south. 

 A flock of Cheviots has been kept for some time past 

 by Mr. Bruce at Vinsgarth, and part of them have 

 been crossed with an Oxford Down from the Duke 

 of Marlborough's flock ; while Mr. Walker, of Mary- 

 field, has used a Southdown tup. Pure Cheviot ewes 

 are also kept at Lunna, Laxfirth, and Bigton, for 

 breeding half-bred Leicester. The proprietors in 

 Hoy, Noss, Fetlar, Sumburgh, Gremista, Hills- 

 burgh, and Vementry have more or less of -the 

 Cheviot blood, and are gradually progressing. 



