514  The  Yorkshire  Farm-Prize  Competition,  1883. 
lambing-time,  and  large  numbers  of  dead  or  weakly  lambs.  The 
close  folding  of  ewes  was  perhaps  more  resorted  to  last  winter 
than  is  the  custom  in  ordinary  seasons  owing  to  the  extraor- 
dinary crop  of  turnips  which  it  was  thought  would  be  difficult 
to  get  consumed. 
A breed  of  sheep  called  “ Lonks,”  found  in  the  hills  of  the 
West  Riding,  lead  a totally  different  life  from  that  I have  been 
describing.  This  breed  much  resembles  the  Scotch  black-faced  ; 
but  they  are  larger,  and  the  wool  is  not  quite  so  hairy.  Judging 
from  the  height  of  the  stone  walls  which  appeared  to  be  neces- 
sary to  set  bounds  to  the  roving  propensities  of  these  moun- 
taineers, we  gathered  that  this  breed,  unless  very  strongly 
guarded,  only  fed  and  slept  where  they  had  a mind  to.  Indeed, 
after  seeking  for  some  time  in  vain  for  a flock  of  newly  bought 
Lonk  wethers,  we  were  told  that  they  were  “ very  likely  in  the 
hay-field.”  The  produce  of  the  cross  between  Lonk  ewes  and 
Oxford  Down  rams  is  evidently  a great  success.  Some  female 
yearlings  of  the  second  cross  were  really  handsome  sheep, 
coming  out  quite  of  Oxford  Down  character.  Grey-faced  ewes 
(cross  between  Scotch  black-faced  ewes  and  Leicester,  or  Wensley- 
dale,  rams)  are  favourites  on  the  grazing  farms  in  this  district. 
They  are  said  to  be  very  prolific,  and  to  make  excellent  nurses. 
The  prevalence  of  foot-and-mouth  disease,  the  consequent  stop- 
ping of  markets,  and  restrictions  upon  the  movement  of  animals, 
with  the  general  scarcity  and  high  price  of  store  cattle,  made  it  a 
difficult  task  for  those  who  had  not  been  in  the  habit  of  winter- 
ing their  summer-grazing  cattle  to  obtain  their  supplies  during 
the  spring  months  of  this  year.  As  a rule,  it  is  much  safer  to 
buy  in  the  autumn  or  early  winter  cattle  that  are  intended  to  be 
fattened  on  the  pastures  in  the  ensuing  season.  The  wintering 
of  a large  number  of  cattle  implies  making  a large  quantity  of 
bay.  On  the  grazing  farms  in  Skipton  in  Craven,  the  plough 
is  almost  unknown,  hay  is  therefore  the  sole  dependence  for 
winter  feeding.  The  system  of  storing  it  is  peculiar  to  the 
district.  A combination  building — hay-barn  and  byre — appears 
to  be  essential,  and  such  buildings  are  sometimes  located  on 
various  parts  of  the  farm.  Large  doors,  capable  of  admitting  a 
load  of  hay,  are  usually  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  building. 
The  cattle  lairs  are  at  the  ends ; they  are  boarded  over,  and  the 
lofts  above  the  cattle  are  filled  with  hay.  Alter  the  lofts  are  full, 
the  centre,  where  the  loads  were  admitted,  is  also  filled.  This 
system  has  no  doubt  partly  arisen  from  the  difficulty  of  pro- 
curing thatch,  and  the  prevalence  of  storms.  The  cattle  tied  up 
in  these  places,  as  a rule,  have  neither  crib  nor  manger,  the  hay 
being  placed  in  front  of  them  on  a simple  continuation  of  the 
bare  flags  on  which  they  stand. 
The  question  of  Book-keeping,  which  very  properly  formed 
