162 Report on some features of Scottish Agriculture. 
tons of cake are consumed annually on the farm, the whole of 
it being, as a rule, given to the cattle. Mr. Murray is not so 
particular as some farmers about giving his beasts fresh-threshed 
straw, as he finds it keep well enough in his barn for six or eight 
weeks ; but the straw should be damp, and there is a regular 
supply of water in troughs in the foldyards and courts. 
Sheep. — Mr. Murray has annually from 65 to 70 acres of two- 
year-old seeds, the whole breadth of which is grazed ; and the 
same quantity of one-year-old seeds, of which from one-half to 
two-thirds are also pastured, as well as the aftermath of the 
remainder. Now, as it is found that cattle do not thrive on 
the seeds, possibly because the land is too hard and dry, the 
whole of them are consumed by sheep ; and from two-fifths to 
one-half of the roots are also fed on the land. Considering the 
crops which East Barns is said to bear, it is evident that a 
large number of sheep are required to consume the seeds in 
summer and autumn, and a certain number to be finished off on 
the roots in winter. No sheep are bred ; and Mr. Murray, like 
many other East Lothian farmers, may, therefore, be said to 
have a " shifting " flock, continually coming from the hills in 
good feeding condition, and as continually going away fat, 
chiefly to London. The number of sheep on the farm at 
different periods of the year is thus entirely dependent on the 
amount of sheep-food, and it is almost unnecessary to say that 
last year was exceptionally unfavourable as an index of what 
the farm could produce. Indeed it was remarkable to see the 
condition in which 300 sheep had been kept for two months, to 
be finished off on roots, on seeds which looked like brown paper ; 
but in that district it is said that sheep do well on " roast meat." 
In a good year the first purchase of sheep will be made about 
the end of March or beginning of April, when as many as 400 
or more half- or three-quarter-bred, or sometimes cross-bred 
wethers in good condition will be put on the seeds, and fed off 
without any artificial food in the course of ten or eleven weeks. 
The next purchases will be made during the latter end of July 
and the beginning of August, when either lambs or older sheep 
are kept on the seeds until the end of September, when they go 
on turnips. Two-shear Cheviots from the islands on the west 
coast are liked for this purpose ; they are as forward as three- 
shear Highland sheep, and are good feeders. The number of 
sheep bought for wintering depends on the amount of autumn 
food and the prospects of the turnip-crop. Taking the average 
of years, from 500 to 600 is about the number, but as many as 
900 have been kept, although it is unusual for the number to 
go beyond 800. These sheep get with the roots either hay or 
