the thickness of the neck which makes a carcass look well hanging 

 in a butcher's shop. 



THE SCOTCH BLACKFACE BREED. The Scotch Highland Black- 

 face is smaller and hardier than the Cheviot, and it thrives better 

 on moory pasture and heathery land. Crosses by softer-constitutioned 

 sheep brought from the lowlands speedily get wiped out by natural 

 selection in stormy seasons. The allied varieties are (i) The Scotch 

 Highland Blackface, (2) The Lonk, (3) The Rough Sheep, (4) The 

 Dales (such as the Swaledale), (5) The Derbyshire Gritstone, (6) The 

 Penistone, and (7) The Limestone breeds. The two last have 

 undergone striking changes from the dark or mottled face and legs 

 to white. 



Value as a Meat Producer, The mature mutton of three to 

 five-year-old wethers, weighing 15 to 16 Ib. per quarter, is of the 

 finest quality, especially after hanging for a week or ten days. 

 Although lambs direct from their mothers, weighing 25 to 30 Ib. 

 of dressed meat, are the tenderest and sweetest, the highest-priced 

 mutton in the market is that produced by Blackface wether lambs 

 weighing 36 Ib., that have been fattened on good forage or after- 

 math after weaning. Mutton under 9 Ib. per quarter is too small 

 for the best customers. 



The Blackface Sheep is wild and active, and, to thrive well on 

 natural pasture, must travel a good deal ; nevertheless, no breed 

 is more suitable for house -feeding either in the case of ram lambs 

 for breeding or of cast ewes being fed fat. 



Character of the Wool. The wool is wavy, loose and shaggy, 

 nearly touching the ground ; stronger and more hairlike and kempy 

 than Cheviot wool. It is mostly used in carpet-making. The 

 fleece averages 3 1 /, to 4*/ 2 Ib. for ewes, up to 5 Ib. for the best 

 mountain ewe flocks, and 7 Ib. for wethers. Black or blue spots 

 on the neck, tail, or other parts of the wool-producing part of the 

 skin are objectionable. 



An"" exceptionally strong-woolled variety of the breed has been 

 developed during the last 35 years by Mr. Charles Howatson, of 

 Glenbuck, and other breeders following his lines, sheep of this 

 strain, receiving a liberal supply of food, produce immense fleeces. 

 During recent years it has come to be widely believed that the 

 long strong wool has been carried too far: especially when asso- 

 ciated with the fashionable short-legged Showyard Sheep it is a 

 serious disadvantage in snow and a danger to the first lambs of 

 young ewes, as they may fail to find the mother's teats. The 



