THE BORDER LEICESTER. 25 



habits and the thoughts of earlier generations. Once more 

 we must glance back into the last century, to the times of 

 Bakewell. At that period the way for improved cattle and 

 sheep was being prepared by the introduction of drill 

 husbandry. Bakewell drilled his turnips, and Dawson, who 

 was in service at Dishley, learnt the new system and carried 

 it down to Frogden in 1763. The same year George Culley 

 visited Dishley, his brother Matthew having found his way 

 there the previous year, and an intimate friendship sprang 

 up between Bakewell and George. The connection be- 

 tween the county of Durham and Leicestershire at that 

 time had most important bearings upon the whole future of 

 live stock. The brothers Colling were about to commence 

 the improvement of the Shorthorn race, and it is said that 

 Charles was a visitor at Dishley, where the Longhorns were 

 in full force. 



The Culleys were settled at Denton, which was within a 

 short distance of Barmpton and Ketton, and the Culleys and 

 Collings must often have met at Darlington market, or in the 

 King's Head. At that time the Teeswater breed was in high 

 favour as a long-woolled sheep, and the Culleys brought 

 Leicester rams from Dishley, and continued crossing with 

 the Teeswaters until they established a flock of Leicesters. 

 In 1767 the Culleys took Fenton, near Wooler, and after- 

 wards Wark and other farms until they paid rentals up to 

 ^"6,000 a year. There, they were on intimate terms with the 

 Greys of Millfield, and I have often heard the late John Grey 

 of Dilston, who was born about 1784, speak with great ad- 

 miration of them. The Culleys' stock are looked upon as 

 the original strain from which the Border Leicesters were 

 derived. Their rams were hired by breeders both on the 

 English and Scotch sides, among whom were Messrs. 

 Robertson of Ladykirk ; Thomson of Bogend ; Thomson of 

 Chillingham Barns; and many other noted men. It is in- 

 teresting to find that the excellent sheep still held by Mr. 

 James Thomson (the laird of Mongoswalls), and grandson of 



