147 



of horned cattle are reared annually and sent across 

 the Channel for the English markets ; but that does 

 not in any way prove that more sheep cannot be 

 reared throughout Ireland, without lessening the rear- 

 ing of horned cattle ; the reverse will be found to be 

 the case. I speak from personal knowledge, when I 

 say the worst mountain in any part of Ireland upon 

 which black cattle cannot feed, would be found suf- 

 ficient pasturage for sheep Scotch bred, only let them 

 be allowed in the winter season, when the snow falls 

 very deep, to come down about the foot of the moun- 

 tain, as is commonly done in Scotland during the 

 storm. I am also aware that these sheep will find 

 pasture and thrive among rocks and on parts of the 

 mountains, when even the native Irish sheep will not. 

 The Scotch black-faced sheep is well known to forage 

 for their own support in all seasons of the year, with- 

 out any other feeding than the very coarsest of grass, 

 and heath produced on bare rocky mountains. If 

 therefore such sheep were brought to the worst lands 

 in any part of Ireland, they would be found most 

 advantageous to the general interests of the country. 

 No scheme can be devised to improve the moun- 

 tainous parts of a country, and which requires so 

 little capital, or even so little labour in the execution 

 of the whole project, as that which I have proposed. 

 In order to convince the proprietors of mountainous 

 grounds in Ireland of the propriety of turning their 

 attention to their own interests, and to the general 

 good of the country, in stocking their mountains in 

 the manner proposed, I beg to observe the rapid 

 progress made in all the Highland counties in Scot- 

 land since the middle of last century. At that time, 

 and for many years afterwards, there was not a single 



