75 



perhaps for the production of early fat lambs. The rams are, how 

 ever, not used so much for pure mountain ewes as for " Mashams " 

 and other first crosses. 



Leicester Sheep at the Smithfield Show, 1902-1911. 



THE BORDER LEICESTER. 



There is some difference of opinion as to the exact relationship 

 between the " English " Leicester and the Border Leicester, though 

 it is quite certain that both had their origin in Bakewell's Dishley 

 breed. The brothers Culley, who were pupils of Bakewell, took 

 with them to Northumberland both rams and ewes from the Dishley 

 flock, and it appears probable that pure flocks of Leicesters were 

 soon established on both sides of the Border. Up to the middle of 

 the nineteenth century it was quite a common practice for northern 

 breeders to take rams from the south, but from that time the 

 practice ceased, and in 1869 there was such a difference between 

 the two branches of the breed that the Highland and Agricultural 

 Society provided separate classes at its show. Whether that 

 difference was partly due to a dash of Cheviot blood in the Border 

 race as some suggest, or whether it was entirely due to differences 

 of environment and of ideals in breeders' minds is not certain. 

 It is certain, however, that the Border Leicester has been bred 

 pure as a separate breed for at least the last 60 years. From 

 the Border district the breed soon spread, until now pure flocks are 

 to be found in every lowland district in Scotland, and they are also 

 largely kept in Ireland. The Border Leicester is one of the 

 leading breeds in New Zealand, is extensively kept in Australia and 

 Canada, and to these and other countries large numbers of rams are 

 exported every year. 



Value for Crossing. The Border Leicester is a big, quickly 

 growing, easily fattened, sheep, with a fair fleece of wool, but few 

 flocks are kept for ordinary commercial purposes. Great numbers 

 of rams are, however, required every year in Scotland for crossing 

 with the Cheviot, Blackface, and though to a less extent now 

 than formerly Half-bred ewes. The crosses are early maturing, 

 easily fattened sheep, producing mutton of high quality, and while 

 the Border Leicester is one of the largest of the Longwool 

 breeds, the comparative fineness of head and bone makes the rams 

 fairly safe for use even with small mountain ewes, and there i& 

 seldom trouble in lambing. 



