THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Vol. XIII. No. 9. 



DECEMBER, 1906. 



CROSS-BREEDING FOR MUTTON IN THE NORTH 

 OF ENGLAND. 



The greater part of the mutton produced in the four northern 

 counties of England is cross-bred, and the same may be said of 

 that fed in the South of Scotland. The chief reasons for this 

 method of breeding prevaiHng in these districts are to be found 

 in tlie mountainous character of the country, the long and often 

 severe winters, and the special suitability of the climate for 

 turnip-growing. But, independently of these natural causes, the 

 system is well worth following on account of its profitableness. 

 Judging from the rapidly increasing numbers of South of 

 England buyers who in recent years have visited the great 

 autumn sheep auctions of the North in order to purchase 

 cross-bred lambs and draft cross-bred ewes, the remunerative 

 character of these sheep is becoming appreciated even in 

 districts far removed from the Borders. 



Mountain Breeds.— ^\ the crosses met with in the North of 

 England have their foundation in the mountain breeds : the 

 Cheviot, on the low and verdant Border hills ; the Black-faced 

 mountain (Scotch Black-face), on the higher hills of Scotland, 

 and on the Pennine .chain and its spurs running into Nor- 

 thumberland, Cumberland, Durham, and Westmorland ; the 

 Herdwick, on the poor mountain land of Cumberland and 

 Westmorland ; and the Limestone fell sheep of Westmorland — 

 probably an off-shoot of the Black-faced mountain breed. 



Of these the Herdwick is the hardiest — probably the hardiest 

 sheep in existence — and able to get its living all the winter 



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