469 



Sketch of proposed Report of the Committee of the Teviotdale Farmers' 

 Club, referred to at page 454. 



For some time back occasional notices have appeared of the ravages of 

 mice on some of the pastoral farms of upper Teviotdale and adjoining dis- 

 tricts, and perhaps the matter has received less attention than it deserved, 

 owing to the impression that the accounts were exaggerated, as a scourge of 

 the kind was to any serious extent a novelty in the stockmaster' s experience. 

 At the last meeting of the Teviotdale Farmers' Club at Hawick, however, 

 some conversation took place on the subject, and such testimony was borne 

 by eye-witnesses of the destruction of the pastures by the vermin as led the 

 members of the Club to believe that the evil was of sufficient extent and 

 character to justify some inquiry regarding its cause, with the view of en- 

 deavouring to devise a remedy. A committee of the Club was accordingly 

 appointed to iuspect some of the most severely infected hill farms, and in 

 order that perfect impartiality might be secured, some lowland farmers who 

 have not suffered from visitations of the mice, and other gentlemen uncon- 

 nected with agricultural pursuits, were nominated on the committee, with 

 other members having large pastoral holdings. 



The infected district extends generally over the lands adjoining the water- 

 shed between Teviotdale and Eskdale and Liddesdale, but on some farms the 

 damage is only to a limited extent. The committee resolved to visit one or 

 two where the greatest mischief was reported to have been done, and the 

 farm of Howpasley at the head of the vale of the Borthwick was selected for 

 a beginning. Howpasley is a large farm in the parish of Roberton, the most 

 westerly parish in the county. The farm forms part of the southern bound- 

 ary of Selkirkshire, where it marches with Craik in the latter county, and 

 also of part of the eastern boundary of Dumfriesshire, where it marches with 

 Moodlaw in Eskdalemuir. It has for two leases been farmed by Mr James 

 Oliver, whose stock and wool have always ranked high in the market. Craik, 

 which has also suffered greatly by the mice, is tenanted by Mr John Moffat, 

 another well-known breeder of Cheviot sheep. Contiguous to these farms, 

 to the west of them, and also reaching to the boundary lines of Selkirk and 

 Dumfriesshires are Wolfcleughhead and Craikhope, tenanted respectively by 

 Mr Robert Govenlock and Mr Bell of Castle Orr. The quality of the stock 

 on their holdings has likewise enjoyed high reputation, and they are in a 

 similar plight as regards the invaders of the pastures. All the four farms are 

 the property of the Duke of Baccleuch. 



The committee first visited Howpasley a few days ago, and were shown 

 over the farm by Mr Oliver, jun , and Mr Moffat, Craik Mr Moffat stated 

 that the scourge had not come suddenly upon them, for the mice had been 

 steadily increasing in numbers, and in the extent of their devastation during 

 the past five years. They had so thoroughly consumed the pasture which 

 should be ready for the sheep in the spring months on the lower and more 

 sheltered grounds, that these were now abandoned by them for higher 

 regions, where the work of destruction was still in active progress. This was 

 quite borne outj by the inspection of the lower slopes on Howpasley Hill. 



