370 THE DISHLEY SHEEP. 



amongst graziers for this breed, that one of Mr, 

 Bakewell's Rams brought its proprietor,, in a single 

 season, upwards of eight hundred guineas. 



These animals are chiefly celebrated for their 

 quick feeding, and their capability of being ren- 

 dered enormously fat; so much so, as, in some in- 

 stances, to take away the proper flavour of the 

 mutton, and to render it scarcely eatable. A three- 

 years old wether belonging to Mr. Culley, which 

 was killed at Alnwick, in October, 1787, measured 

 more than seven inches of solid fat on the ribs; 

 and his back, from head to tail, was like the fattest 

 bacon. It is very common for two-years old wethers 

 to have four inches, in thickness, of fat on the ribs; 

 and from two to three inches all down the back. 

 This is frequently the case even with Ewes which 

 have bred and suckled Lambs till July, and have been 

 killed about the Christmas following; and, although 

 the Dishley Sheep are not celebrated for much tal- 

 low, yet Ewes, under such circumstances, generally 

 produce from eighteen to twenty-four pounds each. 

 When the animals are not over fatted, the mutton 

 is not only peculiar for fineness of grain, but for 

 superiority of flavour, beyond all other kinds of 

 large and long-woolled Sheep. The Ewes, when 

 fat, are generally sold to the butchers at the price 

 of from thirty-four to forty shillings; and the two- 

 shear wethers, from forty to fifty shillings, per 

 head. 



The breeders of these Sheep find, that the 



average 



