336 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



the heavy fleeces they shear. As a sheep for mutton purposes they 

 compare with the English breeds in about the same way as a Jersey 

 compares with a Shorthorn or Hereford. They are essentially the 

 sheep of Southern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Argentine 

 Republic and the prairies of the United States. Even in these coun- 

 tries, however, there is a marked tendency to cross with rams of the 

 English Mutton breeds, so as to produce a sheep of greater value for 

 the export mutton trade. This tendency accounts for the fabulous 

 prices which, of late years, have been paid by breeders from these 

 parts of the world for rams of the Lincoln and other English breeds. 

 One strain of Merinos, the Rambouillet or French Merino, has re- 

 cently become particularly, popular in parts of the United States and 

 elsewhere. This strain, called after the little village in France 

 where it originated, is characterized by more size, better mutton form 

 and a little coarser wool than any other of the Merino sheep. The 

 Rambouillet and other Merino sheep have the ability to conceive 

 early and drop their lambs in fall and winter, a characteristic shared 

 by the English Dorset 'breed. (Annual Report Sec'y Agr. Prov. 

 Nova Scotia, 1907.) 



ENGLISH LONG WOOL SHEEP. 



Leicester. Although sheep existed in the British Isles as long 

 ago as history records, yet it was not until about the year 1755 that a 

 systematic effort at improvement was made. About that time Robert 

 Bakewell, of Dishley Grange, Leicestershire, famed, also as a breeder 

 and improver of Longhorn cattle and cart horses, made a systematic 

 effort to improve the sheep of his neighborhood, as a result of which 

 he produced the English Leicester, or Dishley breed of sheep. He 

 had conceived a clear idea of the modern, smooth, easily-fed and 

 early-maturing type of sheep as superior to the sometimes larger, but 

 coarser and later-maturing sort then existent. As a result of careful 

 selection, and, it is believed, considerable inbreeding, he produced a 

 class of sheep measuring up to his ideal, which were so highly appre- 

 ciated that as much as 2,000 guineas ($10,000), per year, each, was 

 paid for the rent of seven rams bred by him. The Dishley Leicester 

 has been used extensively in effecting improvement in other long- 

 wool breeds. 



The Border Leicester. The Border Leicester, thought by some 

 to have been produced in the Border areas between England and 

 Scotland by crossing the Dishley Leicester with the Cheviot, is now 

 generally considered to have been produced through crossing of ewes 

 of the Teeswater Valley with Dishley rams. The Dishley and Border 

 Leicester are much alike, the principal differences being that the 

 head of the Border Leicester is white, and bare of wool, whereas that 

 of the English Leicester has a bluish-white appearance, and the head 

 and face is not so free from wool. The carcass of the Border Leicester 

 is considered to be a little larger and longer than that of the English 

 Leicester. The following description of the Border Leicester will, 

 with the exception of the above points, fit the English Leicester as 

 well: 



