22 SHEEP I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



inches in length, while the weight of a ram's fleece may touch 

 30 Ib. The wool is very bright and lustrous when shorn, 

 giving the name of lustre wool, a character which disappears 

 when the sheep are bred away from their native county. 

 The massing of the wool in flakes or strands upon the animal 

 is characteristic of the breed, but the fibre is hair-like and 

 " lashy " if separated and compared with the fibre of Merino 

 wool. The history of the improved Lincoln sheep is very 

 interesting. In order to understand it we must go back a 

 hundred years to the controversy which then enlivened 

 agricultural literature as to the respective merits of the old 

 and the new Lincoln. 



As already hinted the Leicester was the agent employed in 

 the new departure and keen were the discussions and many 

 the displays of temper before the momentous question was 

 settled in favour of the new type. 



As no one connected with agriculture has been more 

 spoken of lately than Mr. Chaplin, it is interesting to find 

 a Mr. Chaplin of those days in hot dispute with Bakewell 

 in 1788, because the great Leicester breeder had dared to 

 step in and have a look, unbidden, at Mr. Chaplin's rams. 

 Mr. Chaplin wrote as follows : " After my refusal on the 2ist 

 inst. to let you see my sheep before they were collected and 

 sorted at home, I did not expect to hear of your meanly 

 sneaking into my pastures at Wrangle (most appropriate 

 name) on the 24th, with two other people, driving my sheep 

 into the fold and examining them." To which the great 

 Bakewell rejoined : " We asked a young man if you had any 

 rams there ; he informed us you had. ' Where are they ? ' 

 ' In the close next the house/ * May we see them ? ' * Yes.' 

 * Who would show them ? f * I will.' From which we sup- 

 posed he had frequently shown them to others. We then 

 alighted and went into the close ; he opened the pen gate 

 and we assisted him in driving them in, about fourteen in 

 number." We have introduced this short extract from a 

 rather angry correspondence as a little piece of human nature 



