FIELD AND FEllN. 



left iu the teeth of wool-combs, and that it goes to 

 the blanket manufacturer ; that " Cotts" are cotted 

 or matted fleeces ; that " Picklocks'' are divided into 

 best and second, or fine and coarse pick, from the 

 skin, by fellmongers; that ^' Haslock'^ is subject to 

 the same classification, but applies generally to the 

 coarse skirts of Cheviots, half-breds, &c., and the best 

 part of blackface ; that -'Fine Greif is equal to Has- 

 lock of that colour, and taken principally from black- 

 face for carpet yarns and blankets ; and that " Coai'se 

 TV/lite" comes from the shanks of the sheep, and 

 ranks in the social wool scale cilong with " Coarse 

 Grey/' and even below '' Common Haslock." 



The sales take place eight times a year, beginning 

 in May; and in September, which is the height 

 of the season, they last from four to six days. Shet- 

 land sends very little native wool to public sales, 

 but, like Orkney, contributes some Cheviot. The half- 

 bred wool from Caithness is of a beautiful quality and 

 fine fibre, with a peculiarly pure colour, all of which 

 delight the Halifax men. The judges saw this at 

 the International ShoAV, and both Sir George Dun- 

 bar's bred and Mr. Swainson's half-bred fleeces had 

 certificates of merit. In fact, it is a hard race for supre- 

 macy between them and the East Lothian men, among 

 whom Major Hunter of Thurston, who farms about 

 five miles from Dnnbar, stands very high with his 

 half-breds, Southdowns, and Soathdown crosses. The 

 east-coast have an advantage over the west-coast men, 

 owing to the feeding, which causes the wool to be 



