HILL AND HEATH BREEDS. 47 



in the shape of maize spread on bare pasture, but this practice 

 does not develop, as ewes are generally found to mend better when 

 they have had no extra assistance. 



The following is a good description of the Cheviot sheep : 

 A Cheviot tup, when arrived at maturity, weighs, when fat, 

 at least 200 Ib. live weight. He should have a lively carriage, 

 bright eyes, and plenty of action. His head should be of medium 

 length, broad between the eyes, well covered with short, fine 

 white hair ; his ears, nicely rounded and not too long, should 

 rise erect from the head low set, or dropping ones, are a decided 

 fault, but at the same time they should not be what are called 

 'hare lugged,'* that is, too near each other, as that indicates a 

 narrow face, which generally denotes a narrow body. His nose 

 and nostrils must be black, full, and wide open ; his neck strong, 

 and not too long ; his breast broad and open, with the legs set well 

 apart. His ribs must be well sprung, and carried well back towards 

 the hook bones, as a long, weak back is about the worst fault a 

 Cheviot can have. His back must be broad and well covered 

 with mutton ; his hind quarters full, straight, and square ; the 

 tail well hung and nicely fringed with wool. His legs must stand 

 squarely from the body (if bent hocks, either out or in, the latter 

 especially, are looked upon as a weakness) ; the bone must be 

 broad and flat, and all must be covered with short, hard white 

 He ought to grow a fleece weighing lOlb. or 121b. of fairly 

 nne wool, densely grown, and of equal quality, coarseness on 

 the top of the hooks is a decided blemish ; the wool should meet 

 the hair at the ears and cheeks in a decided ruffle ; bareness there 

 or at the throat is inadmissible, and it should grow nicely down 

 to the hocks and knees. The belly and breast ought also to be 

 well covered. 



The same description, when modified, will apply to ewes also, 



which will weigh lOOlb. to 1501b. Cheviots, when in a natural 



state, must grow finer wool, as hard feeding inclines to make it 



stronger, but it must be stiff and dense, and not too short A hill 



flock should clip on the average 4Jlb. each ; if wedders are kept 



that average will be increased. A lot of draft ewes, 'when fed 



moderately fat, will weigh from 951b. to lOOlb., and old wedders 



-live weight. It must always be remembered that along 



with feeding qualities Cheviots must embody great hardihood and 



king properties, for they are expected to stand great privations 



their native hills in hard winters and backward springs ; for if 



once they are bred too soft to live and bring lambs on their own 



mnd, they either die off, and the ewes cannot be kept up or 



bheir owners have to incur great expense in taking grass parks 



or other keep, which, with wool at its present price, is a ruinous 



The perfect Cheviot is one which will live and thrive 



E2 



