205 



SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 



addition to the outside racks, others can be placed temporarily through 

 the middle when required. 



In many parts of Scotland, " Stells," as they are called, are made use 

 of to shelter sheep. Ficr. 39 on the preceding page is the form of one given 



md the author's descrii 



in " The Book of the Farm," and 



lescription of it : 



" In a storm, their provender cannot be given to the sheep upon snow, safely and conven- 

 iently, as ground-drift may blow and cover both ; and no place is so suitable for the purpose 

 ss a ste.ll It may be formed of planting or high stone-wall. Either will afford shel- 

 ter ; but the former most, though most costly, as it should be fenced by a stone-wall. Of 

 this class I conceive the form represented (fig. 38) a good one, and which may be char- 

 acterized as an outside stell The circumscribing strong black line is a stone-wall six 



feet high ; the dark ground within is covered with trees. Its four rounded projections shel- 

 ter a corresponding number of recesses embraced between them, so that let the wind blow 

 from what quarter it may, two of the recesses will be always sheltered from the storm. The 

 eize of this stell is regulated by the number of sheep kept ; but this rule may be remem- 

 bered in regard to its accommodation for stock, that each recess occupies about J part of the 

 space comprehended between the extremities of the 4 projections ; so that in a stell covering 

 4 acres which is perhaps the least size they should be, every recess will contain an acre." 



The two following are forms of stells, composed of stone-wall, without 

 planting, 



Fig. 40. 



ANCIENT STELLS. 



Figures 42 and 43, on the following page, are forms of circular stells, 

 the first made by stone-walls and planting, as in fig. 39. The open space 

 a is occupied by the sheep, and b is a funnel-shaped opening to it. 



On the whole I should consider fig. 42 preferable to any of the preceding 

 forms. Figure 43 represents one of the same form, but without the 

 planting, with a stack in the middle, &c. Either of the stells which are 

 formed in part of trees, would be convenient in severe winds, would form 

 excellent shades in summer, and would constitute highly ornamental ob- 

 jects on the farm, and in the landscape. On the most northerly of the 

 Southern mountains, where considerable snow falls, they might even be 

 good contrivances for winter shelter. They might also be convenient on 

 the lowlands farther south, provided the shelter of evergreens could be 

 made dense enough to protect the sheep from the winter rains. In this 

 case, the stell or covert might be of any shape, and ought to have no cen 



