86 SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



manner as to obtain the greatest quantity of safe and nutritious 

 food at all seasons of the year." It is a common practice to 

 take turnips in the lowlands during the winter. This system 

 of turniping is found to encourage the growth and muscular 

 development of young stock. Ewes in lamb are also some- 

 times allowed a supply of turnips, but, if they can be brought 

 through without it, there is less danger of mortality at the 

 lambing season. One of the special dangers to this breed, if 

 placed on too nutritious diet, is the growth of the horns of the 

 male lambs before birth, which often causes the loss of both 

 ewes and offspring. Lambing is general in April, and the 

 lambs are allowed to remain with their mothers till the middle 

 of July. 



Of late years the Black-faced breed has, to use Mr. 

 Archibald's expression, had a sharp tussle with the Cheviots ; 

 but recent severe winters have been the means of confirming 

 hill farmers in favour of the hardier race. 



The distinct character of this race of sheep gives peculiar 

 interest to the question of origin. It is assumed, as we have 

 said, as the most probable view that the race was indigenous 

 to England rather than to Scotland, and that it had crossed 

 the Border by mountain sheep walks passing between and 

 connecting Cumberland and Northumberland with Scotland. 

 The vast extent of the moors of the north requires to be stated. 

 Commencing in the Peak district of Derbyshire, they extend 

 by way of Glossop, Ashton, Dewsbury, west of Bradford and 

 Harrogate, to Whernside, and the Westmoreland mountains, 

 through the moors around Stanhope-in-Weardale, across to 

 Hexhamshire, Longtown, and Otterburn, to Cheviot; or 

 around the eastern boundary of the Solway, into Dumfries, 

 forming what is known geographically as the Pennine Chain. 

 The Black-faced breed of sheep has been naturalised for ages 

 upon their wide extents of moor and fell, and are to be seen 

 in great numbers around Rothbury, in Northumberland. 

 There could, therefore, be no difficulty in their passing freely 

 from county to county until they reached first the Lowlands, 



