OF SCOTLAND.

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der it an object to those who hire them, to obtain as much oftheir services as possible, and with that view, the number oiewes, which it is expected eacli ram should serve, is selectedfrom the flock, and confined along with him in a separateinclosure,—commonly from four to five scores of ewes to oneram. The ram is rubbed on the breast with keel, (a pigmentof a red colour), that leaves a mark on the buttocks of theewes that have been covered, which are then separated for atime from the parcel, that the remainder may have the betterchance of being served. Another method is often followedwith the highest priced rams,—who are confined to a smallfold, and the ewes brought to them, one or two at a time, asthey appear to be in season. This may be known by meansof a chacer or teazer, (a wether sheep that had only one tes-ticle in the scrotum at the time of gelding), marked on thebreast in the same manner as the ram in the former instance.Sometimes an inferior ram is employed for the same pur-pose, with a piece of cloth so fixed as to prevent him fromserving the ewes.

2. During the winter the breeding ewes and ewe-hogs arekept on the best pastures, as long as they can find a sufficientsupply of food; after which they are provided with hay inracks on their feeding ground, especially in frosty weather, orif hay be scarce, they must be thriftily served with turnips.A moderate allowance of turnips is always given them inspring, for a few weeks before they are expected to bring forththeir lambs; and if the weather be unfavourable after lamb-ing, they must be supplied with turnips or ruta-baga till thegrass rises—The feeding stock are fully fed on turnips when-ever the grass begins to fall off' in the smallest degree. Thisstock consists of wether-hogs, dinmonts, and tups, and also°f the draft or cast ewes, unless they are sold off grass. Theyai 'e almost always confined in separate lots of ewes,—din-^ents, and wether-bogs, (or the two last in one lot), uponthe turnip-field, by means of flakes or hurdles, or sheep-netsfastened to stakes ; and though it is certain that turnips serve

vol. in. K