36 Sheep-Farming 



land. The Lincoln and the Leicester would not 

 long retain their mammoth proportions without the 

 infusion of fresh blood, if forced to graze the rugged 

 sides of the Great Cheviot, which rises 2676 feet above 

 the level of the sea, and it is even less likely that the 

 Cheviot would retain its pertness and lightness of 

 step if confined to the level lowlands. While in- 

 specting a flock of Leicesters on a high and hilly 

 farm, the proprietor advanced the information that 

 he found it difficult to maintain the breed type even 

 though fresh infusions were made constantly; and, 

 in conformity with the general opinion in such mat- 

 ters, he had decided that some disease was preva- 

 lent among them. His farm was excellent sheep 

 land according to the usual conception. 



A counter illustration is afforded from the conduct 

 of the animals on the lowest sheep land of this con- 

 tinent ; that is, Prince Edward Island. The handling 

 of the Leicesters there, as judge, convinced the writer 

 that they were the best fleshed and apparently the 

 thriftiest sheep the writer had ever closely scrutinized. 

 And they had been reared on land that current 

 opinion condemns for sheep. However, they were 

 under the conditions that suited the Leicesters, and 

 consequently they were thrifty and maintained the 

 lowland type. The dark-faced breeds, the Downs, 

 though descended from some of the best flocks, had 

 lost their type and thrift under these circumstances. 

 The Cheviots the writer has seen lose their wool 



