Gents Mag 1891 part 2 p.125
|
|
|
|
|
introduction, lists | ||
|
|
list, 4th qtr 19th century | ||
|
|
previous page
next page |
||
|
Gentleman's Magazine 1891 part 2 p.125
on the moors. After speaking of a sheep-farm I can scarcely with propriety postpone the consideration of the case of the woolly ones, even in deference to the more noble animals which are associated with them. The names and nicknames given to sheep by shepherds are numerous. I can only mention a few. Hogs, or tegs, are the sheep one year old, which are distinguished as wethers and gimmers, according as they are male or female. A ram is usually called a tup, and a ewe is pronounced something like "eowe." Barren gimmers are fed with wethers, and become prime at four years old. I do not know why I am writing this: it is not meant as a compliment to butchers, whom I do not consider literary, nor to instruct them, for they know the ages at which animals are prime. The use of what I am detailing will best be seen when some town bird visits the moors and begins to talk to the shepherds. A careful use of the words "tegs," "gimmers," and "tups" will soon gain the Yorkshire moorland heart. Shearling is an adjective applied to the various classes after the first shearing; for instance, a "shearling gimmer," "shearling wether," "shearling tup" are expressions used. The corresponding terms after the second and third shearings are "two-shear," "three-shear" gimmer or wether, as the case may be, and so on. The age may be learnt from the teeth: a shearling casts his two front middle incisors, and the two next to them in the following year. This shedding of the teeth is not always at the same age for each sheep, but varies a little according to health and condition. Those jolly old batchelors among sheep, who know all the runs, and take to each class of food exactly in the right season, are styled "old cock birds." They are favourites because they thrive on poor food, stand the wintry blasts bravely, and yield good fleece. But alas! when they become very old cock birds they are extremely tough eating. "Old crocks" are old ewes whose teeth have begun to open, and whose fate it is to be sold to go to lower lands to receive more shelter in their old age. I am now speaking of a millstone grit moor, and one can readily understand why the sheep do so much better on limestone than here: for it appears that, while on the grassy hills they have a continuous and uniform pasture, on the moors they only take to the food provided for them because they cannot obtain anything better. When they have become accustomed to dead ling, with an occasional dry rush, they are recommended to leave these and to try the louk grass and moss-cops; and when they have habituated themselves to that vegetation, their guardian will again force the ling upon their notice. The fact is that, though the sheep do not appear to see it |
|||
|
|
next page | ||
|
|
|||
Lakes Guides menu.