Report on some features of Scottish Agriculture. 
173 
25 acres are annually mown for bay and stall-feeding ; the after- 
math is also cut, and in the autumn the land is grazed with 
sheep, which usually get turnips and cake for a time to ensure a 
full oat-crop. 
Stock. 
Sheep. — At present Mr. Hope keeps at Fenton Barns a breeding 
flock of not more than 80 Border Leicesters ; but formerly he had 
an additional score. His original flock was bred from the Buckley 
blood, but it was afterwards crossed with Border Leicester tups. 
The ewes run with the ram in October on the best seeds, getting 
either turnips or cabbage if the bite is not very good ; afterwards 
they go on the two-year-old grass until lambing time, getting 
turnips, as before. If roots are scarce their place is supplied by 
meal and wheat-chaff, or by meal and beanstraw. Lambs begin 
to drop about the middle of February, but the beginning of March 
is a more favourite time. As the ewes lamb they are put on 
voung seeds until the end of March, shelter-sheds being erected 
in the fields, in which they get turnips and cake, or meal ; oats 
and bran are also esteemed good food at this time. The meal 
at present given to sheep is the refuse from the manufacture of 
starch from Indian corn, and the quantity given varies from 
1 to I5 lb. per day, which is given mixed with chopped straw 
damped with water and a little salt. 
Lambs are weaned about the first or second week of July, 
except in the case of those ewes to be drafted, whose lambs are 
taken away three or four weeks earlier. Weaning is done by 
sending the ewes to Dirleton links for a month or six weeks, 
which prevents their getting fat, the lambs remaining and getting 
the same food as before. Lambs are dipped soon after weaning, 
and again about the end of November or beginning of Decem- 
ber. Shearing is commenced about the end of May, and is done 
by the two shepherds, assisted by three or four of the ordinary 
farm labourers, who get their food in addition to their usual 
wages while the operation lasts. 
About 25 gimmers are annually introduced into the Fenton 
Barns flock, and the remainder are sold to the butcher when 
sheared. The crop of lambs is generally large, but it depends 
to some extent upon the food given to the ewes for a certain 
time previous to lambing. If cabbages have been given to them 
in any quantity, the lambs are most likely to number 175 for 
every 100 ewes. The hoggets are folded on turnips, the tup-hoggs 
getting cake, but not the females. 
From 7 to 8 scores of Cheviot ewes are brought from Peeble- 
shire to Dirleton farm links, and put to the ram. The lambs 
