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shelter from almost every quarter. There is very littlewood or artificial shelter of any kind, and no arable land inthe higher parts of the district. Many farms do not pro-duce hay sufficient lor a week’s consumption; some of themDone at all. The snow sometimes lies very deep for severalWeeks, during which the flocks must be removed to the lowergrounds, or hay brought for them from a considerable dis-tance on horses’ backs, for carts cannot be used over a greatpart of this district.
As the fitness of these sheep for mountainous pastures hasbeen the subject of much dispute, it is of importance to keepin view the actual state of the Cheviot district, especially asa different account has been given by a late writer. DrWalker, in his Economical History of the Hebrides andHighlands of Scotland , observes, that “ Cheviot, from whichthey arc named, comprehends a group of mountains betweenone thousand and two thousand five hundred feet in height,°f course equal to many in the Highlands , and with similarpasture. But to imagine that what are called Cheviots heep, are the sheep bred upon these mountains, and conse-quently fit to be bred upon such mountains in the High-lands , is a great deception. What are commonly termedCheviot sheep, are not bred upon the mountains of Cheviot,I'ut upon the low and fertile lands in their neighbourhood,where they have such winter sustenance upon turnips andliay, as the Highlands do not yet afford. In such a situa-ll on 5 ant [ -with such sustenance, no sheep give a greater re-turn ; but, unless they are managed, and indeed pampered inthis way, they cannot be profitable. They would perishWith poverty and disease, where the black-faced or brockets beep would prosper. In the valleys of the Highlands ,Where there is a good summer pasture, and where turnipsa "d hay can be afforded in winter, the Cheviot sheep is thestoc k to be chosen ; but where there is no such winter pro-ton, it will be found very hazardous to adopt them, astl i
le y aro of a size too large, and of a nature too delicate, to