OF SCOTLAND.
119
supply the place of the old ewes sold yearly. To keep up astock which sells 200 full grown sheep, at least 300 lambsmust be reared every year, to cover losses by disease and ca-sualties *. On large farms the stock is mixed, or consistsof a portion of wethers, amounting to near one-third of thewhole number. The wethers are usually sold, when fromtwo and a half to three years and a half old, and sometimesin condition for the butcher, though they are more frequent-ly fattened on turnips, or on the pastures of the low coun-try.
The food of these sheep, summer and winter, is the same.They very rarely get hay, or any other food than what theirpastures afford. It is surprising how hardy they are, andhow little injured, even when the snow lies several weeks.They dig and scrape for the withered herbage, and face thedriving storm with much resolution, when all other domesti-cated animals seek shelter from the care of man.
3. The produce of these sheep in mutton and wool is dif-ferent, according to the quality of their pastures. Theirflesh is well known to be excellent, and their fleece verycoarse, and of little value. The average weight of a fat we-ther is stated at about 52 lb. the four quarters, and of a ewea t 40 lb. f. In Tweeddale or Peebles-sliire, which may beConsidered the head-quarters of this breed in Scotland , theprices in 1813 were for fat lambs 10 s. to 14 s. Ewes in
Jamb in spring, from 23 s. to 24 s_when fattened on turnips
the following winter, 24 s. to 26 s. Wethers three years old,f°r feeding 27 s. to 29 s.; when fed on turnips, from 32 s. to35 s. Their wool sold in 1811 and 1812 at 10 s. per stone,°f 24 lb. avoirdupois, and in 1813 at 12 s .; but afterwards,m the course of the summer, was worth 17 s. From six toseven fleeces make a stone of 24 lb. These prices, how-ever, are above the average of stocks and of seasons. “ By
| Ibid. p. 22R.