CHEVIOT SHEEP 127 



limekilns along the outcrops of the bands of lime- 

 stone which are common in the carboniferous rocks of 

 Northumberland, it has been far too much neglected 

 for the last half-century, to the detriment of the 

 fertility and health of the land. The manures that are 

 applied for the root crops do duty for the rest of the 

 rotation ; indeed, when any large proportion of the 

 swedes is eaten off with cake and corn, the land 

 becomes too rich for the succeeding barley ; even the 

 wheat and oats are often laid when the sheep have 

 previously been grazing on the seeds for some time. 

 The barleys grown are nearly all of the wide-eared 

 type, though these sorts have the disadvantage in this 

 exposed district of a long weak neck, which sometimes 

 leads to a large proportion of the heads being broken 

 off by a gale near harvest-time. With a fine September, 

 however, bold barley of exceptional weight per bushel 

 is produced along this coast ; though the summers are 

 never very warm, the proximity of the sea causes an 

 equable growth, and the longer duration of the northern 

 daylight in summer also makes for increased assimila- 

 tion and plumper grain. 



But though the land is mainly under the plough, 

 and though the corn crops and especially the barley 

 are considerable factors in the income of the farm, 

 live stock form the mainstay of the agriculture of the 

 district. Several kinds of sheep are to be seen : the 

 Cheviots are the breed of the country, and though 

 they are properly grass-land sheep, as their name 

 indicates of mountain origin, they come down on to 

 the turnips in winter to be fattened. Elegant little 

 sheep, with white faces and characteristically cocked- 

 up ears, they are active animals, moving with consider- 

 able grace ; they may easily be familiar to Londoners, 

 because in many seasons Cheviots are brought down 



