Dear Sir

On my return home from the North, I am last night in receipt of yours of the 31^st. Ult^o. and have pleasure in replying to your inquiries.—¹

I have now been a Breeder of Sheep for the last 43 years; for the last 13 years, I have had fully 2.000 Lambs annually; and for many years in my life, when a younger man assisted my friends in reducing the Male Lambs into Wethers, some times to fully the extent of the number named annually, and this in the Counties of Roxburgh, Selkirk and Dumfries, and now in the County of Perth, and I can without hesitation say that the numbers of Male and Female Lambs on an average have been Equal, some years the Male will be in greater number, some years the females, but on the average Equal.— This is not only my own opinion but the opinion of all the shepherds I have had, or met with, when performing the cutting operation, and the opinion of all Farmers I have met with, who had experience; the Males have a worse life than the females, more males die than females, up till 3 years old, when the Wethers are sold,² and after that I cannot compare the classes, but at birth the numbers are Equal; in cutting the Lambs, we have been in the habit of laying the points of the tails of the Males to one side & the points of the tails of the females to the other, and on the average I have found them equal.—

The same with Cattle.— I think on this point you now have no doubt, but may take the matter for granted, after I have had the opportunity of testing the matter in so many localities, so many numbers and all kinds of sheep— Leicester, Cheviot Blackfaced &c—

As you wish the names of some extensive flock masters and Cattle Breeders however, to ascertain their opinion also, I may mention

William Aitchison Esq of Brieryhill by Hawick³

James Oliver Esq., Howpasley, by Hawick.—⁴

John Graham Esq of Shaw by Lockerby.⁵

James Brydon Esq Kinnellhead Moffat. or Langehar⁶

—Mitchelson Esq, Old Fascally by Pitlochry,—⁷

Fletcher N. Menzies Esq. the Secretary to the Highland Society, George IV Bridge Edin^r—⁸

Allan Pagan Esq Innergeldie Crieff⁹

M^r. M’Combie M. P. Tillyfour Aberdeen.¹⁰

I could give you a list of a thousand, but for what good?, You may take what I have stated as a matter of fact.

I am Dear Sir | Yours truly | Robert Elliot

George Cupples Esq | The Cottage | Guard Bridge | Fifeshire