i8D4. On different Breeds of Sheep. 45-5 



that the new LeiceRers were by far tlie mod profitable breed of 

 iong-woollecl fheep, I afi'ure you, Sir, I was not a little furprifed 

 to hear that the opinions of its author have not been controverted 

 •by fonie of the followers of the celebrated Bakeweil. 



(COPY.) 



* to the editor of the tyne mercury. 

 « Sir, 



* For a feries of years, it has been fafliionable for cer- 

 tain newfangled breeders in the county of Northumberland, and 

 .North Durham, to extol, without difcrimination or exception, 

 all kinds of the Leiceflerfliiie breed of flicep (in which the name 

 •of Ctdle^ has been uniformly introduced), and to difparage as indif- 

 criminately all other kinds of flock. Without entering into the 

 patriotifm or liberality of fuch fweeping kind of conclufions, 

 wherein the good qualities of every other fpecies of fheep in 

 Northumberland are kept entirely out of view, an opportunity 

 has only lately prefented itfdf, wherein I have difcovered not on- 

 ly the illiberallty, but the falfity of their general reafoning. In 

 the Farmer's Magazine, I have obferved many communications 

 from Northumberland, in which this dodrine is held forth ; and 

 in particular, the Number for AugTilt 1803 contains a paper, 

 ligned * A Northumberland Farmer, ' wherein it is alTerted, that 

 Mr William Charge late of Ch;)iby, on the Yorkfhire fide of the 

 Tees, brought tups of the Dilhley, or new Leicefter breed, to 

 Morpeth, before the Culleys brought any, and fold them there at 

 no great prices. Mr Henry Grey of Bamborough, and feveral 

 others, who were in poffeilion of the large improved breed of 

 Bamboroughfliire, bought fome of thefe tups, and were wonder- 

 fully benefited ; but for want of knowledge in not continuing 

 that blood, and croflmg them again with the large Tees-water 

 breed, they foon loft the benefit of the firft valuable mixture. ' 

 In this quotation, there feems a kind of reilc6lion upon Mr Hen- 

 ry Grey's * want of knowledge, * that looks fo like a puff direct 

 in praife of Mr Culley's exertions, and his fuperior knowledge, 

 that we can eafily perceive the obje<Sl; of contrail4ng the one with 

 the other. But without glancing at the merit (if there was any) 

 of attempting to crofs any fpecies of ftieep with the Bamborough- 

 fhire, I will prove that the Bamboroughlhire, the unadulterated 

 Bamboroughlhire breed of fheep are at this prcfent moment fu- 

 perior, in point of fize, weight, and quaHty of wool, to any of 

 the Leicefterfliire llieep that ever were reared or improved by Mr 

 Culley. There is at prefent one of the mod opulent and refped- 

 able farmers in Bamboroughfliire, a man who can vi'ell judge of 

 the real advantages to be obtained in difcriminating betwixt on^ 



p g 3 fpecies 



