BOKDER LEICESTERS. 295 



direct followers of Bakewell. Our first recollections date back 

 as far as 1835, when Tom Small, of immortal memory, was the 

 presiding genius in their management, and no lover was ever 

 more jealous of the honour of his mistress than Tom of his pet 

 flock. We happened to know him well, and how he spurned the 

 idea of using any strain of blood not strictly Bakewell, and well 

 he could trace them till we got lost in a maze of g-g-g-§-g-g 

 grand sires and dams. When Tom felt the infirmities of age 

 creeping on, he was deeply solicitous as to how the flock was to be 

 maintained in its purity, and, ere he " gave commandment con- 

 cerning his bones," suggested his successor. His choice fell on 

 Andrew Paterson, who had previously been instrumental in 

 bringing a neighbouring flock into a state of great perfection, 

 and, from personal knowledge, Tom knew that " he had the 

 root of the matter in him." Andrew has amply justified his 

 confidence, the success of the flock having been, in the sixteen 

 years he has had them in charge, not merely uniform, but 

 progressive. 



Much conjecture exists as to how the perfection of the flock 

 is kept up, and as no one ever hears of Lord Polwarth giving a 

 long price for a tup, it is generally surmised that there must be 

 a good deal of in-and-in, or what is called in Scotland " sib," 

 breeding. We had lately an opportunity of seeing the ewes 

 and gimmers. Their beautiful blood-like heads, deep chests, 

 straight backs and bellies, uniform coating of wool, and family 

 likeness, was a treat to look at. We fancied that we got some 

 slight insight into the system of breeding, although Andrew, 

 like Bakewell, is somewhat mysterious. Let it, however, be 

 understood that our views are theoretic. From the circum- 

 stance of the ewes not being drafted at four or five years old, 

 like the majority of flocks, but kept occasionally, if good 

 breeders, till they enter their teens, it is evident that an oppor- 

 tunity is afforded, with Andrew's profound knowledge of 

 pedigree (of which he is a walking dictionary), to preserve 

 several distinct strains of blood, crossing them from time to 

 time. A good strain is never lost sight of ; if rare, it is 

 cherished as a miser would his gold, and animals of rare 

 excellence are never parted with, without leaving their repre- 

 sentatives. The procreative powers of nature are never taxed 



