3o5 Account of the Northumberlafid Breed of Sheep. Aug. 



near Wooler ; and introduced into this county that mofl valu- 

 able breed of fhcep, now ijenerally known by the niime of the 

 Neiv Leicefers, though perhaps it ought rather to be called the 

 Di/hley, or Bakewell breed, from the hi'^jh merit of that extra- 

 ordinary man, who was certainly the firil perfon that made the 

 proper difcrimlnations ht^iwec^^fzeyfrm, and difpofiUon tofrttefi. 

 He firft advanced th^ principle, that M ftnall- honed animals^ (rven 

 of the fame family, have a greater propenfity to fatten early, and 

 produce flelli of a firmer texture and grain, than large coarfe- 

 boned ones. This principle feems now to be firmly eftabliilied, 

 (at leafl 1 have not heard of it being controverted), and perhaps 

 holds through all animated nature. It may be faid, that Mr 13ake- 

 well did not introduce a new or frefli breed from abroad, or even 

 from any diflant part of this ifland. It is true he did not; but 

 he had the difcernment to D'^rceive, and the judgement to felecft, 

 a breed far fuperior tci any that were known before; a breed, 

 that hath not fince been equalled hy any that I have heard of, 

 though fifty years or niore have elapfed fince Mr Bakewell firil^ 

 began. It may alfo be faid, that the mocie was eafy and finiple. 

 No doubt it was -, but, fimple and eafy as it may appear, it was 

 referved tor a Bakewell to hit it off. 



At that period, Mr Bakewell was allowed the pick of all the 

 principal flocks of ewes m his neighbourhood, at the rate of 

 20S. or 2 IS. per head ; and when the price was afterwards ad- 

 vanced upon him to 42s., he gave up, as, by that timf, he had 

 pofleifed himfelf of the belt ewes in that part of the king- 

 dom. As for tups, he hired or bought them, wherever he could 

 meet with the mol^ proper for his purpofe; and indeed I have 

 been told, that thofe from which he derived the moft benefit, 

 were from Lincolnfliire. It hath been already noticed, that, fifty 

 or fixty years ago, the Lincolnfhire fFieep were infinitely better 

 than for feveral years afterwards, previous to their being crofied 

 with Bakewelfs feleclion. The caufe of their falling off was 

 this; — An advance took place in the price of wool, which led 

 the Lincolnfhire breeders to prefer lucolyfze^ and bone, to that 

 propenllty to fatten, which was the chara6leril"tic of the breed, 

 and is certainly the firll quality in all animals intended for the 

 fhambles. The fame caufe has, of late, operated, in many dif- 

 tri£ls, in the fame manner; and it is not to be much v\'onderecl 

 nt ; as mankind are very apt to'purfue a prcfent advantage, with- 

 out adverting to the future lofs. * 



It 



* The attentive breeders of fheep find, from repeated trials, that 

 they cannot unite heavy fierces^ tnuih borre^ and a dtfpfitwn to fallen. 

 It remains then to be cordidered, which are the mofl valuable. 



