( 54 ) 



With the fuccefs of this expeiimcnt the farmers 

 feemed perfeclly fatisfied, as a general opinion pre- 

 vailed that the animal would feed in exact propor- 

 tion to the fize of bone, and that an additional quan- 

 tity of wool might be produced, without any detri- 

 ment to the carcafs. This practice, therefore, went 

 on for many years. The new breed improved great- 

 ly in fize, and the farmers gave themfelves no trou- 

 ble to afcertain whether the increafe in fize and 

 weight could be accounted really beneficial or not. 

 And fo fixed and rivetted were they in the opinion 

 of the good choice they had made, that it Avas not 

 without much difficulty they could be perfuaded of 

 the poffibility of introducing any additional im- 

 provement. This, however, has of late years been 

 effefted, and the new Leicefter or Difhley breed 

 " (which form a complete contrail to the former) are 

 . pretty generally introduced, owing principally to 

 the following circumfliance: Mr Bakevvell, whofe 

 name flands unrivalled in this line, about the year 

 3788, inftituted a fociety, confifting of himfelfand 

 15 or 16 other refpedable farmers in Leiceilerfliire 

 ■and the neighbouring counties *. This fociety had 

 for its objed the improvement of the different breeds 

 of flock, particularly of flieep. And by almoft every 

 account, they feem to have fucceeded beyond their 

 nioft fanguine expedations. 



To follow them through alltlie experiments which 

 they have individually made, or to detail the proois 

 which they are ready to produce, in regard to the 

 difference of bone, offall, wool, &c. in order to af- 

 certain the advantages which the new Leicellerlhire 

 breed poiTeires over evtry othei", would be an end- 



lefs 



* Of this number, the following members refide in this 

 county : 



Meffis J. and S. Robinfons, Wellingborough ; Mr Jolin 

 Tomlins, Rockingham Park ; Mr John Eennet, Watford ; 

 surd Mr John Manning, Arflingworth. 



