OF SCOTLAND.

125

3. About tlie beginning of November, the tups are put tothe ewes, a little earlier or later, according to the prospect ofspring food, but seldom before the 8th or 10th of November,f he number of tups required, is more or less, according tothe extent of the pasture, and their own age and condition.If tlie ewes are not spread over an extensive tract, one tup tosixty ewes is generally sufficient. It is usually thought ad-visable to separate the gimmers from the older ewes, and tosend the tups to the latter eight or ten days before they areadmitted to the former. Notwithstanding this precaution,which retards their lambing season till the spring is fartheradvanced, ewes which bring their first lamb when two yearsold, the common period on farms suited to a stock of thisdescription, are often very bad nurses, and in a late springlose a great many of their lambs, unless they arc put intogood condition with turnip before lambing, and get earlygrass afterwards. This separation, and difference in the timeof admitting the tups to the ewes and gimmers, should there-fore be always attended to.

4. When a farm under this description of stock, has theconvenience of a few good inclosures, still more minute at-tention is paid by skilful managers. It is not sufficient thatthe tups are carefully selected from perhaps double the num-ber, the ewes also are drawn out and assorted, and such atu p appropriated to each lot, as possesses the properties inform or fleece in which the ewes are deficient. In otherCa ses, the best tup and the best lot of ewes are put together,^hen neither of these arrangements can be adopted, owingt° the want of inclosures, it is the practice to send the besttu ps to the ewes for a few days at first, and those of an infe-l ' l0 r description afterwards. In every case, when the farmerCI uploys tups of his own flock, he is careful to have a few of

best ewes covered by a well-formed and fine-woolled tup|°r tlie purpose of obtaining a number of good tup lambs,

1 preserving or improving the character of his stock.

'*• The stock through winter, consists of ew'es and girnmer-