136 SALVING 
and of destroying vermin. From the treatment 
that sheep received in this country until a com- 
paratively recent date, it is probable that that 
disease was of usual occurrence every spring. 
Sheep got leave to traverse the pastures all win- 
ter without shelter, and with no food but what 
they could pick up from coarse grasses, or what 
they could scratch up from under the barest 
patches of snow. When the pasture revived in 
spring, the condition of the sheep recovered, and 
the recovery was sudden, and thereby attended 
with eruption on the skin. The constant and 
uneasy itching occasioned by the scab impelled 
the sheep to rub themselves against any object 
that presented itself in the most convenient form 
for the purpose ; and the consequence of the 
rubbing was the tearing off, in shreds, the fleeces 
long before the season for clipping arrived. Ac- 
cording to the authority of Culley, fine-woolled 
sheep existed in Scotland before the introduc- 
tion of the coarse-woolled blackfaced breed ; and 
as there would of course be a natural desire to 
preserve the fleece from such destruction, salv- 
ing became the proposed remedy. Another re- 
medy of a more natural character was, perhaps, 
simultaneously proposed, and that was the in- 
troduction of a hardier race of sheep, whose 
fleece could withstand the bleaching effects of 
rain, and the chilling effects of storm better 
than the fine-woolled old breed, and hence the 
introduction, it is said, of the blackfaced breed 
into Ettrick Forest, by one of our Scottish kings. 
But even they, with all their hardihood of con- 
stitution and coarseness of wool, were found un- 
able to withstand the inclemency of the winter 
storms in our hills; and hence smearing was re- 
sorted to with them as well as the older fine- 
woolled breed. But what was the best salve to 
apply for the purpose? Tar, it was thought, 
would mat the wool together and keep out cold ; 
and grease, it was conceived, mixed with it, 
would mollify its astringent effects both on the 
wool and the skin. And so this smear of tar 
and butter has long been used for the purpose ; 
and to make it as cheap as possible, filthy salted 
and adulterated butter has been imported from 
Germany to mix with the tar. The salt in this 
butter deliquesces, and keeps the wool always in 
a raw damp state. The smearing with this stuff 
was so long persevered in, that the manufacturers 
will no longer buy the clotted stuff called ‘laid 
wool,’ but at a great reduction of price. In that 
state the wool is found altogether unfitted, from 
staining, for the manufacture of white goods; 
and even when washed as well as can be, it re- 
sists the more brilliant dyes to which it may be 
subjected. On this account, many expedients 
have been devised to dispense with the use of 
tar and salt grease-butter, and to substitute 
something possessing the adhesive properties of 
tar and the emollient properties of butter. The 
objects chiefly aimed at in smearing sheep, now 
that they are kept tolerably free of the scab, is 
eee 
Om SEU, 
the protection of the animal from cold, the de- 
struction of the vermin which at times infest 
them, and the increased growth of the wool,— 
all desirable objects undoubtedly ; but the ques- 
tion is, can these be best attained by salving or 
other means ? 
“The answer to this question requires some 
consideration ; but the analogy derived from the 
management of sheep in the low country may 
assist us to a satisfactory one. In the first place, 
there can be no doubt that, were the winter- 
pastures of hill-sheep sheltered as they ought to 
be, the sheep would require no other protection 
from the weather. The rain, as things are, no 
doubt, washes away the natural grease from the 
wool and renders it harsh, which the grease of 
the salve tends to soften; but were the sheep 
sheltered by means of plantations, the rain would 
not have the same power to deprive the wool of 
its natural grease. There is another condition 
in the management of sheep which would supply 
an adequate quantity of natural grease to the 
wool, and that is by keeping the sheep always in 
a fair condition. This could be accomplished by 
a plentiful supply of good food in hard weather, 
consisting either of meadow-hay, which might 
be obtained by means of irrigation in every 
valley among the hills ; or, by associating arable 
farming with hill-pasturage, turnips could be 
raised to support the sheep in winter along with 
the meadow-hay. Is it not better to supply 
grease to the wool in the natural way, through 
the skin, than by any artificial application upon 
the skin? and would not a fair condition of the 
carcass supply an adequate quantity of natural 
grease ? 
“ But it may be objected to all this, that the 
proposed management of hill-sheep would be 
attended with great labour and expense. No 
doubt the first attempt of the plan would be 
attended with much trouble and a good deal of 
expense; and on that account it should chiefly 
be undertaken by landlords or by tenants of 
capital effecting it under encouraging leases. 
But we would ask in return, has the plan ever 
been attempted? and if not, how can it be known 
that it is one which would not repay the cost ? 
Would 5s. be considered an extravagant increase 
of the price of a carcass of mutton, after being 
better fed than it has hitherto been accustomed 
to? and would Qs. a-fleece be considered an ex- 
orbitant increase of price, were the wool im- 
proved in quality and presented in such a state 
as is desiderated by the manufacturer? Would 
not, therefore, 7s. a-head increase of value over 
the many thousands of sheep which depasture 
on our mountain-ranges, afford to cover a good 
deal of extra expense in sheltering and feeding 
them with plenty of food in winter? And would 
not the proper shelter of pasture in winter very 
much improve it for the summer? The lesson 
derived from the successful management of sheep 
upon the plains should not be neglected. It 
