in  its  Effect  on  Cultivation. 
51 
Gardens  and  Orchards — see  paragraphs  103,  104,  105. 
111.  Stock. — If  the  cattle  of  this  country  were  kept  in  a state 
of  nature,  it  would  be  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  breed 
should  be  adapted  to  the  climate.  But  by  the  introduction  of 
artificial  food  and  shelter,  larger  and  superior  beasts  may  now  be 
grown  more  advantageously  than  cattle  which  have  become  accli- 
mated to  a particular  district.  This,  however,  forms  no  part  of 
the  present  inquiry,  further  than  to  remark  that  the  extension  of 
root  and  fodder  crops  should  be  followed  by  beasts  fitted  for 
house-feeding,  having  the  valuable  properties  of  early  maturity 
and  facility  of  fattening. 
In  a state  of  natural  pasturage  cattle  show  great  sensibility  to 
climate.  In  low  alluvial  plains,  or  vales  where  food  abounds, 
the  ox  reaches  his  greatest  bulk,  with  fine  hair  and  a soft  skin. 
But  on  the  high  cold  uplands,  with  scanty  food  and  exposure,  he 
becomes  very  diminutive,  with  a thick  skin  and  a shaggy  coat. 
The  range  of  the  mountain-side,  where  food  is  scarce,  gives  an 
activity  of  limb,  a restlessness  of  habit,  and  a wildness  of  character, 
unlike  the  sluggish  mild  beast  of  the  plain. 
The  air  being  more  rarefied  on  elevated  regions,  a larger  amount 
must  be  drawn  into  the  lungs  to  supply  the  requisite  quantity  of 
oxygen,  and  the  respiratory  organs  are  more  largely  developed : 
this  is  shown  in  the  wide  deep  chest  of  the  Highland  cattle. 
112.  The  effect  of  the  climate  and  food  of  mountain  regions 
on  sheep  is  equally  marked.  On  the  low  rich  lands  of  the  eastern 
coast  of  England,  the  original  native  breed  is  large  and  coarse  ; 
such  are  the  old  Lincoln,  the  Teeswater,  the  Romney  Marsh, 
and  such  the  Bampton  sheep  on  the  south-west ; but  in  propor- 
tion as  the  land  becomes  elevated,  the  bulk  of  the  animal  declines, 
and  the  ratio  of  decrease  very  nearly  agrees  with  the  altitude  of 
their  pasture-lands.  Thus  we  may  trace  the  progression  from  the 
large  sheep  of  the  plains  through  the  Cotswold,  the  Southdown, 
and  the  Cheviot,  to  the  small  sheep  of  the  Welsh  and  Wicklow 
mountains.  The  old  Bampton  Nott  at  two  years  old  weighs 
from  30  to  35  lbs.  the  quarter,  whilst  the  highest  mountain-sheep 
are  only  from  5 to  7 lbs. 
Even  the  gradations  of  altitude  on  the  hills  are  followed  by 
corresponding  effects  on  the  animal.  Our  best  authority  on 
this  subject,  in  respect  to  the  breed  on  the  Wicklow  moun- 
tains, says — “The  quality  of  the  wool,  as  well  as  the  general 
character  of  the  sheep,  varies  with  the  elevation.  In  the  lower 
rocky  hills,  as  those  which  do  not  exceed  800  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea,  the  wool  is  more  fine  and  less  mixed  with  hairs.  At 
a higher  elevation,  where  heath  and  wet  bogs  begin,  the  sheep 
becomes  smaller  and  wilder.  In  these  a ridge  of  bristly  hairs 
extends  like  a mane  along  the  neck  and  spine,  and  hair  is  always 
