52 BAKEWELL AND THE GRAZIER'S ART 



Leicesters, but of the Soutlidowns and the Cheviots. 

 Following in his footsteps, Ellman of Glynde took up 

 the Sussex sheep, and under his skilful care and that of 

 Jonas Webb, of Babraham, the Southdowns competed 

 for supremacy with the new Leicesters. Similarly the 

 Cheviots were improved on Bakewell's principles. Before 

 these breeds, fitted for the plain, the hill, and the 

 mountain, native races, like the Northumberland ' mugs,' 

 the foresters of Nottingham, the Morfe-common sheep, 

 died away, like Red Indians before more civilised races. 

 But gradually supporters rallied round other varieties. 

 Bakewell's weapons were turned against himself: native 

 sheep of other districts were improved by crossing with the 

 Leicesters or the Southdowns ; and though to these two 

 breeds precedence will always be given on historical 

 grounds, it may be questioned whether they have not been 

 rivalled both in beauty and utility. 



In cattle-breeding Bakewell was less successful. It 

 was his material, not his system, which failed. He 

 endeavoured to found his typical race on the Westmore- 

 land cattle, the purest breed of the Craven Longhorns. 

 He based his improvements upon the labours of two of his 

 predecessors. Sir Thomas Gresley, of Drakelow House, 

 near Burton, had in 1720 begun the formation of a herd 

 of Longhorns. Webster, of Canley, commenced with 

 some of the Drakelow blood ; and Bakewell founded his 

 experiments on two Canley heifers and a Westmoreland 

 bull. But Bakewell could not produce the same results 

 which he had developed in the new Leicester sheep. His 

 cattle were good milkers, and little more. But it was by 

 his example and practice that other breeds, with better 

 natural qualities, were improved. Thus the Teeswater or 

 Durham Shorthorns, both as dairy and meat-producing 



