The native sheep are diminutive in size; but the wool, which is made into shawls and other articles, is well known for its softness. Practically every Shetland woman is a knitter; and although this may be reckoned a subsidiary employment, it is a very important one. Large quantities of knitted goods are sent out of the islands every year; and the money obtained for them is a welcome addition to the too often scanty earnings of the crofter-fishermen. Over 2000 women are engaged in agriculture, and nearly 3000 in making hosiery. [Illustration: Carding and Spinning] Besides the common grazing ground used by crofters, there are large tracts enclosed as sheep-runs, in which black-faced and other breeds are raised for the southern markets. The total number of sheep in the islands in 1912 was 162,090. The native breed of ponies—some of them as low as seven hands—is well known. In days gone past they served a useful purpose as beasts of burden; but the coming of roads and wheeled vehicles demanded a larger and stronger type of animal; and now they are bred chiefly for export, to be used in coal mines and for other purposes. The picturesque sight of a long string of these hardy and intelligent little animals, tied head and tail, each with “kishies” fastened to “clibbers,” and the whole strapped up with a “maishie,” wending their way homeward with a load of peats, is now almost a thing of the past, except in districts where roads are few. Horses, large and small, number 5827. [Illustration: “Leading” Home the Peats] The native cow, like the sheep and the pony, is also diminutive; but under favourable conditions gives a good supply of milk of excellent quality. There are 15,932 cattle in the islands, of which 6027 are milch-cows. Except farming and fishing—with their allied occupations—industries are few in Shetland. Lerwick has two saw-mills. Freestone is quarried at the Knab near Lerwick and at the Ord in Bressay. Copper ore of good quality used to be mined at Sandlodge, and chromate of iron in Unst; but the low prices for these made working unprofitable, and now only a small quantity of chromate is raised. Another bygone industry is the making of kelp from seaweed—once a source of considerable wealth. It may be revived, as the war (1914) caused a scarcity of potash for use in farming. 12. Fishing