The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-06-02
The Cheyiot Sheen.

About 300 miles north of London,
forming the dividing line between
England and Scotland, lies a group Of
mountains aid hills. These are not
rough, ragged, stone-capped noun
tains, such as are familiar to the New
Highlander, but rather smooth-faced
instead, covered with grass and vege-
tation to their SUBMITS. These are
the Cheviot Hills. Among them few
rise to some height, of which the Chew
lot at 2,676 feet, and Carter Fell, rising
1875 feet, are the most prominent
points. These hills mainly prevail in
the north part of Northumberland
county, England, and in Roxburg
county, Scotland. Writing of this re-
gion in 1896, John Naismyth Gays the
whole Cheviot region is naked and
open, and Is now an unbroken con-
tinuation of sheep pastures, except
such cultivation as is made for the
accommodation of the flock. He tells
Of beautiful, smooth, low, verdant
hills clusters Of fine, smooth knobs,
covered with sweetest verdure,' and
Of a great range Of good pasture of
a mixed nature. Yet, he also writes
Of less fertile parts, which having lain
long neglected, the surface water has
preyed on the soil, destroyed the sweet
verdure, and brought growth of
MOSES in its place. and further, that
upon the southwest of Cheviot, the
plain top of the ridge is covered with
a coat of peat earth, in some places
very coarse and miry,' producing va
rious kinds Of moorish heritage"
Description of the Cheviot.-Howard
H. Keim describes the sheep as fol-
lows: "a Cheviot ram, when arrived
at maturity, weighs in good flesh at
least 200 pounds live weight. He has
lively carriage, bright eyes and
plenty of action. His head is of me-
dium length, broad between the eyes,
well covered with short. fine white
hair. His ears, nicely rounded and not
too long, should rise erect from the
head-low set or dropping ones are de-
cided faults, but at the same time they
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lugged," that is, too near each other.
as that indicates a narrow face, which
generally denotes a narrow body. His
nose and nostrils must be black, full
and wide open; his neck strong and
not too long; his breast broad and
open, with the legs set we'll apart. His
ribs must be we'll sprung and carried
well back toward the hook bones, as
long weak back is about the worst
fault Cheviot can have. His back
must be broad and well covered with
mutton; his hind quarters full, straight
and square; the tail well hung and
nicely fringed with wool. His legs
must stand squarely from the body Or
bent hooks, either out or in, and espe-
cially the latter, are looked upon as
weakness) the bone must be broad
and fiat, and all must be covered with
short, hard, white hair. He will grow
fleece weighing twelve to fifteen
pounds of fairly fine wool, densely
grown and of equal quality; coarseness
on the tops of the hooks is decided
blemish. The wool should meet the
hair at the ears and cheeks in a de-
cided ruffle; baroness there or at the
throat is inadmissible, and it should
grow nicely down to the hooks and
knees. The breast and belly are also
well covered. The same description,
when modified, will apply to the eve
also, which will weigh $50 pounds.
Cheviots, when in natural state, must
grow finer wool, as hard feeding in
clines to make it stronger; but 1t must
be stiff and dense and not too short.
The perfect Chevict Is one which will
live and thrive well on the hardest
keep, and when taken to better ground
prove itself equal to the occasion by
growing larger and becoming easily
fattened The ewes are also great
mixers and very prolific.
Food That Costs Nothing-During
the warmer season, when allowed to
forage for themselves, each fowl gath
ers several ounces Of meat daily.
When the supply Of grasshoppers,
bugs, flies and worms fails, it may be
furnished from the table, the scrap pot
or the market. Green food may be
furnished in cabbage, vegetables, ap-
pies or cut clover. A warm breakfast
should be given on cold days and
there should be no lack in The supply
of drink A meat diet with grain and
vegetables is essential to the well be-
ing of fowls during the cold weather,
when worms, bugs and insects are not
to be found by the birds, but in sum
mer the fowls can secure such foods
for themselves Gardening.
Fattening Shropshires.-At the Ok
lahoma Station two Shropshire lambs
made gain of 30 lb. in four weeks, eat
ing two pounds each daily Of Kafir
meal, aside from hay. One Of these
lambs was quite fat at beginning Of
trial. and made gain of only 10 ID. in
second period of seven weeks. Three
grade wethers, thin in flesh, made
gain of SO lb. in five weeks, an aver
age gain of trifie over one half pound
daily. They ate 237 lb. of Kafir grain.
Sheep digest unground Kafir grain