456 On the Northumherlatid Breed ef Sheep ^ ^c, Nov. 



fpecies of (heep and another — one who has never adopted the plan 

 of crofTing his flieep with the Difliley or Leicefterftiire breed, nor 

 ever in his Hfe was known to give above 50s. for the ufe of a tup 

 for one fenfon. From this farmer, one of the moll eminent but- 

 chers in Northumberland has repeatedly dechired, (and will prove, 

 if required, what I affert), that he has bought from him and 

 killed, this year, the bell lot of flieep, which were of the old 

 Bamboroughihire breed, that ever he killed in his life. The 

 number of the lot was not Icfs than eighty. I leave you and 

 the public, therefore, to judge of the merit of the Lelcellerlhire 

 breed, and that of the Bamboroughihire. 



Being lately in Northumberland, I inquired particularly as to 

 the fize and weight of the eighty flieep fo highly extolled in the 

 above paper, and generally received for anfwer, that they were 

 well found, and weighed, upon an average, (when two years old) 

 34 or 35 lib. per quarter, i obferved that the heavieil flieep 

 were not the moll profitable, and adverted to the controverfies 

 between the advocates of the Lincolnfliire, and thofe of the new 

 Leiceiterfliire breeds •, flating that, probably, the latter would 

 have raifed more money per acre for their food than the Bambo- 

 roughfliirc flieep. Though, individually, lels in fize and weight, I 

 alTerted, that the new Lcicellers confumed proportionally lefs food 

 than any other breed. I was alked for proofs, and advanced the 

 opinions of fome of our moil: eminent breeders. Thefe, how- 

 ever, the advocates of the large Iheep refuted, by flating, that 

 accurate comparative trials had demonilrated the contrary j that 

 fome of thefe experiments were referred to by your correfpondent 

 PaJIor junicry in your Fifteenth or Sixteenth Number •, that they 

 have not been diicufled by any of the breeders of tne new Leicef- 

 ters, or any other contributors to your work. Here I was lilen- 

 ced, but net convinced ; and as my opinion is ftill favourable to 

 the fuperior m.erits of tht Difliley breed, I could only fay, that 

 upon going into the weilern counties, I will make very minute 

 inquiries as to thefe experiments, and perhaps communicate the 

 refult to you for publication. In the mean time, I fliould be glad 

 if fome better informed correfpondent would invelHgate the com- 

 parative meriis of the different breeds of the long-wooUed flieep ; 

 for I cannot but confider it injurious to the comnmnity, that im- 

 prcihons fhould be made in favour of the huge fhcep mentioned 

 bv Vr'r'^ts , and am, yours^ t\-c. 



Viator. 



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