Breeds of Sheep lest adapted to different Localities. 431 



By which it appears that a new Leicester, which weighs about 

 1 1 J stones, carries as much flesh, when freed from the bones, as a 

 Wiltshire of 12 stones, and would consequently have made a 

 greater profit than the Wiltshire when that half stone has been 

 deducted and the difference in the value of wool accounted for. 

 It is a very singular circumstance, in connexion with the preceding 

 experiment, that the Leicesters should have eaten a greater 

 quantity of food between December 4th, 1794, and February 24th, 

 1795, than the Southdowns, yet should have decreased in weight 

 between November, 1794, and the latter date, so much as 269 lbs. 

 live weight, while the Southdowns only decreased 194 lbs. weight. 

 On the contrary, between October, 1795, and February, 1796, 

 the Southdowns consumed a trifling weight more food, and in- 

 creased only 162 lbs. in weight, whilst the Leicesters increased 

 264 lbs. The circumstance is the more remarkable, as the 

 decrease and increase occurred at corresponding periods in their 

 respective years. It has, perhaps, arisen in the following manner : 

 the latter end of 1794 and the commencement of 1795 has pro- 

 bably been cold and frosty, accompanied by bleak, windy weather. 

 In such case all the sheep might be expected to suffer as they did ; 

 but the Leicester, as being most obnoxious to such influences, 

 suffered the most of any. On the other hand, if the termination of 

 the year 1795 and the commencement of 1796 had been wet, but 

 mild, such weather would be equally obnoxious to the Southdown. 

 The ex'periments just detailed have led us rather prematurely to 

 enter on the discussion of the question respecting the merits of 

 the Leicester and Southdown. As these two classes of sheep 

 occupy by far the largest share of the attention of agriculturists 

 at the present day, a better opportunity will not perhaps be 



