THE FARMER AT HOME 373 



the withers, and sometimes scarcely more than thirty-five or forty 

 pounds a quarter. 



These Shetland cattle contrive to live on their native moors and 

 wastes, and some of them fatten there ; for a considerable and in- 

 creasing quantity of heef is salted in Shetland and sent to the main 

 land, the quality of which is exceedingly good. When, however, the 

 Shetlanders are transported to the comparatively richer pastures of the 

 north of Scotland, they thrive with incredible rapidity, and their flesh 

 and fat, being so newly and quickly laid on, is said to be peculiarly 

 delicious and tender. But if carried further south they rarely thrive, 

 becoming sickly and poor in the midst of abundance ; apparently not 

 able to encounter so great a change of climate. 



SHETLAND PONEY. The Shetland poney, called in Scotland 

 sheltie, an inhabitant of the most northern Scottish islands, is a very 

 diminutive animal ; sometimes not more than seven and a half hands 

 in height, and rarely exceeding nine and a half. However, if so small 

 in stature, he is by no means contemptible, and is a great favorite 

 with many. He is often exceedingly beautiful, with a moderate sized 

 head, good tempered countenance, a short neck, fine towards the 

 throttle, shoulders low and thick in so little a creature far from being 

 a blemish ; back short, quarters expanded and powerful, legs flat and 

 fine, and pretty round feet. These ponies possess immense strength 

 of their size ; will fatten upon the meanest of feed ; and are perfectly 

 docile. One of them, nine hands high, is known to have carried a 

 man weighing fourteen stone, or 168 pounds, forty miles in one day. 



Mr. Youatt, in the Farmer's Library, mentions, that some little 

 time previous to his making the statement, a friend of his presented 

 him with one of these elegant little creatures. Being several miles 

 from home he was greatly puzzled to know how he should convey his 

 newly acquired property. The Shetlandler was scarcely more than 

 seven hands high, anu as docile as he was beautiful. "Can we not 

 carry him in your chaise ?" said his friend. The curious experiment 

 was tried. The pony was placed in the bottom of the gig, and 

 covered as well as could be with the apron ; a few bits of bread kept 

 him quiet ; and thus he was safely conveyed away, and exhibited the 

 novel spectacle of a horse riding in a gig. 



SHOES. Among the Jews, were made of leather, linen, rush, or 

 wood ; those of soldiers were sometimes of brass or iron. They were 

 tied with thongs which passed under the soles of the feet. To put 

 off their shoes was an act of veneration ; it was also a sign of mourn- 

 ing and humiliation ; to bear one's shoes, or to untie the latchets of 

 them, was considered as the meanest service. Among the Greeks, 

 shoes of various kinds were used. Sandals were worn by women of 

 distinction. The Lacedaemonians wore red shoes. The Grecian 

 shoes generally reached to the middle of the leg. The Romans used 

 two kinds of shoes ; the calceus, which covered the whole foot some- 



