Farming of Monmouthshire. 
287 
take wlio has the power, and let him keep who can," appears to 
have been the only rule of life. Mountain-sheep in those days 
were never known to see a turnip, indeed it was religiously 
believed that they would not eat one if they saw it. Never, 
except in violent and prolonged snow-storms, was any hay doled 
out to the starving flock. Consequently, many became so poor 
and weak during the winter months that they dropped off by 
scores on tasting the fresh green grass of spring. The lambing 
season commenced generally in March, and in good seasons a 
considerable number were reared. They were allowed to follow 
the ewes till late on in October, and then for the most part were 
removed into the vales of Glamorganshire or Monmouthshire, 
where they were pastured on the rough lands for the six 
months of winter. On being brought home in April they were 
taken right out to the mountain at once, where they were 
expected to gain their own livelihood : the ewes, with the excep- 
tion of a run on the land during winter, for the term of their 
natural lives, and the wethers till they had attained the mature 
age of five or six years. At great gatherings, such as for sheep- 
washing, or shearing, the custom invariably was for the whole 
neighbourhood to turn out together for the purpose of collecting 
the sheep. Tlie task of gathering the mountains was no slight 
one ; and there are men now living who can recollect seeing 
the natives dressed in running costume for the task, and it is 
asserted there were some so fleet of foot that they could, in fair 
running, outstrip a four-year-old mountain wether. Now, how- 
ever, the Highland sheep-dog, introduced from Westmoreland 
some years ago, has made the task of gathering the mountain- 
sheep a comparatively easy one. In fact, since the period 
alluded to, there has been considerable change in the man- 
ners, customs, and general farming of the mountaineer ; though 
there is yet, it must be confessed, considerable room for im- 
provement. 
Hardly one mountain-farmer in Monmouthshire ever dreams 
of giving his ewes, or indeed any of his sheep, hay or roots in 
the winter, except in a prolonged snow-storm, yet the shep- 
herds of Scotland many years ago recognized the necessity of 
making substantial provision for their mountain-flocks in winter. 
" Let one instance (says Mr. Stephens in his admirable work, 
the ' Book of the Farm ') out of many suffice to show the com- 
parative immunity from loss in providing food and shelter for 
sheep in winter. 
" in the wet and cold winters of 1816 and 1818, the more 
than usual loss of sheep and lambs on the farm of Crosscleach, 
Selkirksh ire, was as follows : — 
