I,8o3. Account of the Northumherland Breed of Sheep. 309 



tinued, however, in the old beaten path, at Icafl: they pretended 

 to do fo. But their oppofition did httle harm ; as it was generally 

 known, that, notwithflanding they v/oiihi not hire tups irom the 

 profcfled letters of the new Leiccfters, yet, that they eagerly 

 bought tups, with a dalli of the blood, from others, wherever 

 they could procure them. It may be remarked, that Mr Greg- 

 fon, of Lawlynn, who was at one time extremely averfe to the 

 Leicefters, has now fecn his error, and hires tups every year 

 from the MefTrs Culleys, at very genteel prices for a grazier. A 

 miftaken idea, which long prevailed, contributed to prevent a 

 general improvement. This was owing to many breeders fup- 

 pofing that one crofs was fuflicient to make a complete breed, 

 not confidering, that, if the kind is good, you cannot have too 

 much of it. There is no doubt but that the firft crofs has 

 always the grcateft effe(Sl ; but it requires the greateft perfe- 

 verance to prevent even a partial degeneracy. It is now well 

 pnderftood, that no breed can be brought to any connderable 

 degree of perfeflion, without feveral crofles or intermixtures 

 with the mod valuable blood. At this time, indeed, it is com- 

 paratively an eafy matter to get into a good breed, with what it 

 was twenty years agoj becaufe the Bakewell blood is in general 

 circulation. Ewes of a pretty good form may now be purchafed 

 at ail the fairs, or by riding the country ; and, if a good tup is 

 hired from one of the leading breeders, you get at once into a 

 real feeding kind, and at no great expence j but, if determin- 

 ed to commence tup-Ietrer, a perfon muft go to the firft-rate 

 breeders, and purchafe their call ewes, at fuch a price as they 

 will fell them af, for they will not part with their bell fort 

 at any price which it would be worth the while of a beginner 

 to give. 



Before finifliing this part of the fubje^l, it may be proper to 

 obferve, that Mr William Charge, late of Cleufley, on the York- 

 fhire fide of the Tees, brought tups, of the Difl:iley or new 

 Leicefler breed, to Morpeth, before the Culleys brought any, 

 and fold them there at no great prices. Mr Henry Grey, of 

 Bamburgh, and feveral others, v/ho were in poffeflion of the 

 large improved breed of BamburghOiire, bought fome of thefe 

 tups, and were wonderfully benefited by them ; but, for want of 

 knowledge in not continuing that blood, and crolhng them again 

 with the large Tees-water breed, they foon loft the benefit of the 

 firft valuable mixture. * 



It 



* A younger brother of Mr William Charge's had, it feems, got 

 acquainted with IVJr Bakewell, at an earlier period than the Culleys, and 

 Py that means firft introduced the Diihley blood into the Tees fide ; but 



th^t 



