208 BORDER LEICESTERS. 



Yorkshire has both pure Leicesters and a cross with Lin- 

 coln which gives size and wool. 



On the moors, what are called "mug Leicesters" are kept 

 hardy, long-legged, well adapted to run with the black faced 

 ewes. The produce are known as "Masham" lambs. They 

 are well adapted to feed on the poor pasture of the moors in 

 Yorkshire and midland counties, when during the next sum- 

 mer they are made fat and produce from five to seven pounds 

 of wool. 



Lincolns are said to owe their present popularity to Lei 

 cester cross. Shropshires have acquired much of their apti 

 tude to fatten from Leicester cross introduced by Mr. Meire. 



A cross of Leicester on both Southdown and Hampshire 

 gives a very muttony sheep. 



Border Leicesters. In 17G2 Mr. Culley introduced Mr. Bake- 

 well's improved stock into the border counties and was soon 

 followed by many other gentlemen. As to whether these 

 breeders kept their Leicesters pure or introduced Cheviot 

 blood into their flocks, it is difficult to say, but one thing is 

 certain: that they evolved a breed somewhat different from 

 the Bakewell parent stock. The distinguishing features be- 

 tween the improved Leicesters of Bakewell and ths Border 

 Leicesters are that the Bakewell Leicesters have bluish white 

 faces and a tuftiness on the legs, while the Border Leicesters 

 are white and clean on both and are rather more upstanding. 



The Leicesters are especially adapted to districts where 

 good, rich pastures are afforded, and have become valuable 

 also in grading up the common stock of the country. In 

 Scotland many of the breeders keep a flock of pure Leicesters 

 on their lowland farms and a flock of mixed Leicesters on 

 Cheviot ewes to pasture the barer hills, while a cross on the 

 hardy black faces gi>es a muttony sheep that gives excellent 

 results on the scantiest pastures. 



Bakewell's methods, as outlined above, produced a breed of 

 sheep with many valuable points, but possessing a few points 

 of weakness, which were a lack of wool covering on the belly, 

 a certain delicacy of constitution, and want of sufficient hardi- 

 ness to withstand exposure and endure hardship; also inferior 

 ability to nurse the lambs. These points have been under- 

 stood by modern breeders, and their efforts have been con- 

 stantly directed to improvement along these lines, not without 

 marked success. 



