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ON THE LIVE-STOCK

of the cross-bred tups ever put to the ewes, the stock,though approaching nearer to the Leicester than to the Che-viot breed, is not exactly the same with the former, either inshape or quality of wool. The wool still remains shorter inthe staple, and sells higher than that of the Lcicesters, andthe sheep are hardier, but do not attain maturity at so earlyan age; circumstances which prove the influence of feedingboth on the fleece and carcase.

It does not seem of any utility to estimate the annual re-turns from these several descriptions of stock. The most ac-curate calculations would only apply to one year, and to oneparticular situation. The system of management, by whichthe annual sales must be regulated, and the prices of pro-duce already stated, furnish data from which the reader mayreadily compute the average returns in money. And withregard to the produce of mutton and wool per acre, or fromany given extent of land, there are not any two extensivefarms to which the same estimate would apply. In some situ-ations, an acre will fully support one sheep, on an average ofthe whole flock, and in others, at least, three would be re-quired. So far as any such calculations have been made inthe county reports, they shall be noticed in the Appendix .A store-farmer does not estimate the rent he can afford topay by the acre, but by the number of sheep, of differentages, which any extent of land can maintain; and from this,compared with the prices of their yearly produce, he offerssuch a rent as, in many instances, of late years, has allowedhim but a very moderate profit on his capital.

The superior value of a Cheviot to a blackfaced stock,consists chiefly in the wool. When they are smeared alike,the weight of the fleece is not materially different; and whenkept on the same ground, it is confidently alleged, that thecarcase of the blackfaced, is as heavy as that of the Cheviots.It is an undoubted fact, that the blackfaced are the mosthardy in winter, and that a Cheviot stock is exposed to agreater loss of lambs in a severe spring, owing to their being