OF LIVE STOCK. 125 



ox or a sheep, greatly above the size and weight which they 

 will attain on others, where the pasture is equally abundant. 

 He sold a lot of lambs in July, to a person who had one 

 farm in Northumberland, and another in Roxburghshire, 

 between which he divided them. The Northumberland 

 lot, which were kept upon bare pastures, upon rather a clay 

 soil, were two pound per quarter heavier next year, than 

 the other lot, and had also much more tallow. There is 

 the same difference, in regard to quality of food, as between 

 turnips raised on a soil with a mixture of clay in it, and a 

 soil not having that advantage. This in some measure ac- 

 counts for the superiority of the Swedes, being grown on 

 stronger land. 



Mr Church of Hitchill keeps a breeding stock of Lei- 

 cester sheep, originally brought from Roxburghshire, which 

 he seems to manage with great judgment, following the ex- 

 ample of the great English and Border breeders in that 

 line, which being well known, it is unnecessary to detail in 

 this place. Mr Church considers the Leicester breed to be 

 the best adapted of any, for inclosed arable farms, or for 

 those in low situations, indifferently inclosed, as they are 

 easily confined. He conceives it more advantageous to 

 stock his farm with sheep than cattle, as they are perhaps 

 more profitable in themselves, and certainly conduce more 

 to the enriching of the ground by their manure, in particu- 

 lar from their resorting to the high grounds of any farm, 

 which are commonly the thinnest and poorest soil. In a dry 

 season also, upon even a bare pasture, they will thrive where 

 black cattle would starve. An annual stock of sheep may 

 often be considered preferable to a breeding one, in low 

 warm situations, by rearing lambs for the butcher, and 

 feeding their dams afterwards. But in any part of the 

 country, remote from any good market for fat lamb, or for 



