1S03. Accoimt of the Northumhertand Breed of ^heep. 307 



It is not at prefcnt eafy to afcertain, whence Mr Bakewcll 

 obtained tups for crofl'iDg liis breed ; but it is certain, that, 

 in a very fliort time, lie procuiced, at the diflH.Tent ii'.irs and 

 markets, (as was then cullomavy), animals of tliis dcfcription, 

 far fuperior to thofe exhibited by any other breeder. He has 

 been often heard to fay, that the fiiR three tups he ever lit ilid 

 not bring him 2cs. a piece. What a fmall beginning this, for 

 the very man who afterwards made above a thouf.md guineas 

 yearly by one (liccp, and taught us to raife two pounds of mut- 

 ton, where only one could be raifed before ! The jorm^ fine 

 proportions^ and beautfiil lods fif this mofl valuable breed, and, 

 above all, their uncommon tendency to get fat, are circumftances 

 fo well known to every one verfant in the breeding line, that it 

 is unnecelTary to fay more on the fubjecl:. Th-ofe who willi to 

 invefligate their merits more fully, m;iy confult Mr Culley's 

 Treatife on Live Stock. 



I have already obferved, that the Meffrs Culleys entered upon 

 Fenton farm about the year 1767. Some years prior to their 

 fixing in Glendale Ward, they had let a few tups in Northum- 

 berland. MrThompfon, hue of Chillingham Biirus, then of Eaft 

 Lilbuni, father to the prcfent ?vlr Robert Thompfon, was one 

 of thofe who firft hired tups of them, and continued a conllant 

 cuftomer for feveral years. MefTrs Cleaver and Kendal, a con- 

 liderable time after the CuUeys had fettled in Northumberland, 

 brought a quantity of tups from the edge of the Yoikfliire Wolds, 

 to Morpeth, for the purpofe of felling or letting. They were of 

 the coarfe Lincolnftiire breed. Largt heads^ great honeSy and a vaft 

 deal of curled iliaggy wool, were the dillinguifliing characleriflics 

 of thefe tups. * Novelty, however, or the benefit cxpcdlcd to 

 arife from fuch a complete crofs^ induced great numbers, (a- 

 mongft the red, that zealous and fpirited breeder MrThompfon), 

 to try this new kind of llieep. Indeed, the rage for thefe 

 novel animals was fo great, that the CulUys did not let tups that 

 feafon to the amount of 50I. Sterling. MrThompfon, however, 

 foon foiind hh midake j for, though he and a Mr Marfliall took 

 a tup of Mefirs Cleaver and Jvendal, for two years, he did not 

 ufe him the fecond feafon 5 on the contrary, he declared he 

 would get rid of the kind as fail as he could. 



F f f 4 Whether 



* 1 have been told, that notwithftandl-ig thefe York(hire tups were 

 rt^cwn very lean, and theCulleys, on the fame day, planted a pen of very- 

 fat ones at Morpeth, yet they could not let or fell a fingle tup, while 

 all the Yorkfhiie ones were foon let or fold. So much for novelty, new 

 faihione, or what yon pleaf? tp ^all it \ 



