( 56 ) 



Thefe are the moft valaablfe properties which this 

 breed of fheep is faid to poflefs over all others •, 

 and if they really do poflefs them, it is not to be 

 wondered at that their fuperiority fliould be fo ftre- 

 nuoufly maintained. 



On the other hand, it is aflerted by many, that 

 all the boafted fuperiority confifts more in the high 

 prices at which the members of the fociety difpofe 

 of their tups, than in any real improvement in the 

 fhape or conftitution of the animal j and therefore 

 they affirm, that this fuperiority muft fall to the 

 ground, as the breed comes to be more generally 

 introduced. 



It is perfedly clear, that high prices given for any 

 fpecies of breeding ftock, certainly does not, in every 

 injlance, prove the intrinfic value or fuperiority of 

 the breed ; and therefore, if the new Leicefter breed 

 of Iheep have nothing elfe to recommend them, they 

 will not long keep up to their prefent charadier ; 

 but thofe who feem anxious to depreciate this breed, 

 ought to come forward with fomething more likely 

 to carry convidion to the mind, than bare unfup- 

 ported aflertions, which they cannot expeft will 

 meet with much credit. 



The particulars above ftated, in whtch this breed 

 are faid to excel all others, (and which have been in- 

 ferted here, in order to bring the queftion fairly to 

 iflue), may be proved trug orfalfe, by every intel- 

 ligent farmer in the neighbourhood j but as no at- 

 tempt of this kind has hitherto been made, it is but 

 fair at prefent to fuppofe that the fuperiority really 

 remains unqueftionable. The writer of this Report 

 pretends to no particular knowledge in regard to 

 the different breeds of Iheep, and is one of thofe 

 who would be ready to fuppofe that the fize alone 

 is what (lamps additional value on either a Iheep or 

 a bullock J and, therefore, what is here ftated, is 



the 



