48 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Jan. 
BLACK-FACED SCOTCH SHEEP. 
€l)t famn’i 
Slack-Faced Sheep of Scotland. 
In - the pastoral districts of the Highlands of Scot¬ 
land, the Black-Faced breed of sheep has been kept 
from time immemorial. The Cheviots have latterly 
been introduced to some extent, but it is still held, 
that ‘ c in the bleakest and wildest pastures of the 
mountain ranges, no sheep but the Black-Faced can 
exist.” The breed is uncommonly hardy, and the 
mutton is remarkable for its fineness and delicacy 
of flavor. Good wethers average sixteen pounds per 
quarter. The wool is chiefly used for carpets and 
the coarser kinds of worsteds. It weighs about four 
pounds to the fleece. It is thought by some who 
have seen these sheep in their native country, that 
they might be advantageously introduced in some of 
our mountainous districts—as the Allegany range, 
&c., where they would subsist chiefly on the natural 
vegetation. 
In our last volume, pages 48, 49, we gave some 
remarks, together with a cut, in regard to the man¬ 
agement of sheep in the Highlands, and suggested 
that some of the practices there pursued might be 
properly adopted in this country. Our readers may 
be interested in a few observations in reference to the 
mode of living, and the character of the Scottish 
shepherds. Martin remarks— 
“ The plan on which these men are engaged is 
admirable, and binds them to their employer’s in¬ 
terest, or rather makes their mutual interests the 
same. For example, if the shepherd be a married 
man he is allowed a cottage, generally consisting of 
two apartments, with a little garden or kail-yard 
and a potato patch. He has also grazing ground 
for one or even two cows, and the liberty of pastur¬ 
ing on his employer’s land from ten to fifty sheep, 
sometimes more, during summer and winter, with 
their lambs, to a certain time. In addition to these 
privileges, he has a certain allowance of oats, barley, 
and peas, for the sustenance of himself and family. 
In this lone hut upon the mountain’s side, dwells the 
shepherd, his family, and his dog. During the 
summer all is pleasant. True, his life is monoto¬ 
nous, but the Scottish shepherd, peasant though he 
be, is not uneducated, and his own mind affords him 
resources against ennui. Men celebrated in the paths 
of literature have been for years the tenants, of such 
a cottage, and keepers of another’s flock. But win¬ 
ter comes on with its storms and tempests, and then 
the utmost activity, vigilance and experience of the 
shepherd are called into full exercise. He is ever 
anxious, ever on the watch for changes of weather, 
and his family, nay his faithful dog, participate in 
his solicitude.” 
“ I know of no scene,” says the Shepherd-poet 
of Ettrick, “ so impressive as that of a Shepherd’s 
family, sequestered in a lone glen during the time of 
a winter storm. They are left to the protection of 
Heaven alone, and they know and feel it. Before 
retiring to rest, the shepherd uniformly goes out to 
examine the state of the weather, and make his re¬ 
port to the little dependant group within. Nothing 
is to be seen but the conflict of the elements, nor 
heard but the raving of the storm. Then they all 
kneel around him while he recommends them to the 
protection of Heaven; and though their little hymn 
of praise can scarcely be heard even by themselves, 
and mixes with the roar of the tempest, they never 
fail to rise from their devotions with their spirits 
cheered and their confidence renewed. Often have I 
been a sharer in such scenes, and never in my young¬ 
est years, without having my heart deeply impressed. 
