68 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



culties to the would-be breeder in America. He 

 must beware of overfeeding in winter; he will find 

 them hard to drive and pen ; he will find them some- 

 what harder than other sheep to restrain within 

 boundaries. And still there are situations, like the 

 mountains in northern Ontario, in the higher regions 

 of California, Oregon and Washington, and along 

 the coast islands of Alaska where undoubtedly the 

 natural character of the Black-faced sheep would 

 make it of great value. 



John Eoss of Mickel Tarrell, Eosshire, Scot- 

 land, who fed many Black-faced sheep in the win- 

 ter, told me that wild as they were in pasture when 

 brought down and put in barns in winter they were 

 the most sensible of all sheep. They fed well. So 

 far as I have seen in America, Black-faced sheep 

 have not when tried been given the right habitat. 

 They need the coolest of mountain pastures, such 

 as may be found in New England or northern New 

 York. They do not thrive when brought to the hot 

 cornbelt. 



The writer has devoted this space to the breed be- 

 cause of its connection with legend, song and story, 

 which have given it a place in almost every man's 

 heart, and because he hopes to count loyal Scots 

 among his readers. He will never forget his days 

 spent among the Lammermoor hills of southern 

 Scotland, where the Border Leicesters occupied the 

 lower slopes and the Black-faced climbed the heath- 

 ery heights and their lambs played about the feet 

 of the Twinlaw Cairns. It was a land of peace and 



