1803. Account cj the N'^rlhumhcrLind Brted of Sheep. 31 1 



be fafl: creeping up the (."ilpe cf the mountains. In Lincolnfliire, 

 it was longer ot being ailopted t)ian in any otlier of tlie mid- 

 land or northern counties 5 and probably for the followinir rea- 

 Ibn. In no part of England, tliat we are acquainted with, arc 

 there fo many rich exteiillve niar(hes, and other good lands, as in 

 Lincolnfhirc, Romiiey marfli excepted, which, comparatively 

 fpeaking, is but a fpor. As fuch rich lands force the wool to 

 an extraordinary /^/^^//?',7^^tv/^^/?', TinA weight ; it is reaforiable to 

 fuppofe, that this confideration at lirfl induced the breeders to 

 purfue W(5(?/ and /zi? particularly, and to itick to the pradlicc 

 longer than their bretliren in the other long-wookd ilieep-brced- 

 ing dlrtriLT:s *. It is fu,^pofed, however, that a iingle Iheep of 

 the pure old Lincolnfliire flock, is not now to be met with, ex- 

 cept, perhaps, beyond the Walh, or in the Seven towns of Nor- 

 folk •, and that one of the pure uncojitmmnated old Teefe-water 

 blood is no where to be found. 



To conclude, it is now admitted on all hands, that the Difli- 

 ley flieep pay more for what they eat, than thofe of any other 

 kind we know of. I think Mr G. Culley, in his trcatife on live 

 flock, fays, that in his opinion, they pay 4d. />fr week, while 

 moft others pay only 3d., or in that proportion. It is to be 

 regretted that the idea of experimental farms was not carried in- 

 to execution, as, in that cafe, numerous experiments would un- 

 doubtedly have been tried, in fuch a manner as to throw more 

 light upon a fubjecl of fo much importance, and would, no 

 doubt, in time, have produced decifive proofs. Whether the 

 Board of Agriculture, or any other inditution, will, at a future 

 period, revive thefe matters, is perhaps more to be wiflied for, 

 than expected ; but, without decifive experiments, we mufl re- 

 main as we are, each attached to his own opinion. The fpread- 

 ing of thefe flieep, however, in all dire£lions, is a ftrong pre- 

 fumptive proof of their high merit, and clearly fliews that they 

 are preferred to all others in the champaign parts of the illand. 

 They have long occupied the bcft lands of Berwicklliire, and 

 are now bred, in general, to the very extent of the beautiful vale 

 of Tiviotdalc. Several tups have been let into the Lothians, 



and 



* Mr George Culley, \\\ h;s Trcatife on Live Stock, fays, that, in 

 the neighbourhood of Bailor!, in Lincolnfhire, many of the marfhes 

 Jceep from tvvelv^ to fixteen ihcep, and half a beall, per acre : that, 

 before Long- Sutton common was enclofed, it was alv/ays calculated that 

 not fewer than ten or twelve Ihcep wc^re kept upon each acre, befides cattle 

 and young horfes in the fummer months ; and that the bell and fatteft 

 Jiogs were always depaRiired there, a? lean one? could not bear the rich- 

 jiefs of the giafs. 



