Gents Mag 1890 part 1 p.528
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introduction, lists | ||
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list, 4th qtr 19th century | ||
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Gentleman's Magazine 1890 part 1 p.528
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sheep
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Mountain Sheep
MOUNTAIN SHEEP. SCATTERED along the slopes of many of the northern valleys, there still lingers a last remnant of the yeoman or "statesman" class. Their houses are strongly built of stone, and are essentially those of a utilitarian age. Each homestead has about it a few fertile fields - meadows which margin the valley stream. These are sufficient to afford "keep" for a dozen milch cows, and in summer yield abundant crops of hay. The young cattle graze the "Grassing-heads" in summer; but are brought to the coppice belts of birch and hazel to pick a scanty winter fare. There is but little ploughing, and, therefore, few horses are required. But, although the "statesman" with all his virtues, is rapidly becoming extinct, neither political nor agricultural economy can alter nature's decree that these small holdings must ever remain sheep farms. Each farm in the dale has its "Lot," or Allotment, on the fell, which feeds from five hundred to a thousand sheep. This number is about the normal one, though some of the largest farms have most extensive "heafs" and graze from two to four thousand sheep. These are of the Black-faced, Scotch, and Herdwick breeds. All have coarse, hair-like wool; the Scotch and Black-faced have horns, whilst the Herdwick is polled. Yet each wears what the hill-farmers call "a jacket and waistcoat," that is long wool without, with a soft, thick coating beneath. And this is one of the great characteristics which fits the animal for its life among the mists. All the breeds indicated are small-boned, and produce the best and sweetest mutton. It is the tending of these that constitutes the chief work of the dalesman throughout the year. We have said that each farm of the valley has allotted to it its hundreds or thousands of acres upon the fells, and it is wonderful how the sheep know their own ground. Of course this was the more remarkable before the enclosure of the commons, when only a stream, a ridge of rock, or a heather brae formed a nominal boundary. Now hundreds of miles of wire fence stretches its dividing influence over the wild fells, and is the means of destroying great numbers of grouse. One of the provisions for localising the sheep upon their |
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