1806.] On the Breeds of Sheep. 229

The farm contains much more tban four hundred acres. Between three and four hundred acres of it were valued at about four pounds per acre, and this, I think, will appear in my letter in the above number.

A. N.

R E LE

ON THE COMPARATIVE MERITS OF DIFFERENT BREEDS OF SHEEP

To the Editor of the Agricultural Magazine,

SIR, GREAT pressure of business has occasioned me to run A greatly in arrear with your useful Magazine, and SOIT am I that a continuance of that pressure will not admit oft my discussìng any subject but that in which I have been s0 long engaged: the comparative merits of diferent breeds of sheep; and even this I must now treat in a Curs0ry manner.

The concession required by Mr. Wright, appeared to me unreasonable. I cannot, therefore, think that my objections to it appear at all like obstinacy. They might indeed deserve that name, if, after fair, proper, and successful trials, I had continued to maintain that Anglo-merino sheep are not the most profitabie for our htathy and exposed highland pastures. But where bave tbe trials been made by which these sheep have been proved to be the most advantageous stock for these pastures? I have heard of none which come near this de- scription, except that noticed by Mr. Lawrence in your se- cond Number; and I have s0 good an opinion of the Judg- ment and accuracy of Mr. Robson, of Belford,(in Rox- burghshire) that if Mr. Lawrence's information had been correct, and the pastures he mentions ¿n the Cheviot hills had been heathy, stormy, and barren,[ should have been si- lenced, if not convinced.

Your respéctable correspondent W. W. of Hants, calls for more facts and less speculation: to facts then let us appeal. Most of your southern readers will consider the Cheviot hills as heathy and exposed; the fact is, however, that these hills extend far into the counties of Roxburgh and North- uinberland; and, excepting Chexiot-bill itself, Hedszeup, and a few others, they are generally far from being heathy. Most of them lave a fine verdure, especially those of Bel- ſord and other farms near the river Beaumont. The fine sloping green hulls, lying contiguous to this river, may be ranked amongst the best sheep-walks in the kingdom; and s0ome of those inthe farm of Beltord, are precisely such as L have repeatedly recommended for the Anglo-spanish breed