THE ENGLISH LEICESTER 573 



results were got by his methods and the matchless skill he 

 instinctively had in mating breeding animals. He originated 

 the practice of letting rams for the season, in place of selling 

 them outright, which retained a large number of sheep from 

 which to select what was required for breeding to different 

 types of his own flock. The advantage extends also to the 

 hirer, who can acquire through hiring a share of the services 

 of a better animal than he could often afford to buy, and 

 also secure more frequently change of blood. So much was 

 the system opposed, that the first ram he let, about 1760, 

 only realised i6s., and two others were hired on the same 

 day at 173. 6d. each. For many years only a guinea, and 

 " on rare occasions two or three," for the use of a ram were 

 got. It took twenty years to convince his neighbours of the 

 success of his mysterious system of breeding. In 1780, "he 

 received 10 guineas for the hire of some of his choicest rams," 

 and so rapidly did they gain in popularity that in 1784-5 

 the rate had risen to 100 guineas. In 1786 he let two- 

 thirds of the services of a ram for 200 guineas, and received 

 in all i ooo guineas for ram hires. "In 1789 he made 1200 

 guineas by three rams, 2000 guineas by seven others," and 

 3000 guineas for the remainder. His highest recorded reward 

 was 800 guineas from two breeders for two-thirds of the 

 season's services of a favourite ram, " Two-pounder." Accord- 

 ing to Marshall's Midland Counties (1790), an immense 

 business in the hiring of rams soon sprang up : 



" The ram was placed in a small enclosure with two ewes. 

 The ewes in season were brought to him singly, and each 

 was served once only ; by this means, from 100 to 120 instead 

 of the usual number of 60 or 80, were served by one ram in 

 the course of the season. The hirer was expected to keep 

 him well, to permit him to serve none but his own ewes, 

 and only the stipulated number of them, and to send him 

 home safe about the beginning of December. The owner, 

 on receiving him, immediately set to work to get all his 

 former fat upon him, and to make him look as handsome as 

 ever for the next show." 



At these fairs men selected the sheep for their purposes, 

 and offered the sums they were prepared to give to the 

 owners who were in attendance. 



The Dishley Society was formed with rules of extraordi- 



