SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 181 



It is exceedingly unfortunate that this eminent breeder has left us so 

 much in the dark in relation to those principles of breeding, adopted by 

 him, which led to such signal success in his efforts to improve both the 

 cattle and sheep of the region in England in which he resided. All of his 

 measures were veiled in impenetrable secrecy even from his most intimate 

 friends, and he died without voluntarily throwing the least light on the 

 subject. The whole inception and management of his famous " Dishley 

 Society"* betrays selfishness the most intense, and, in plain English, mean- 

 ness the most unalloyed. Should a man claiming to be a gentleman, in 

 this country, make valuable discoveries in breeding, or in any other de- 

 partment of husbandry, and closely conceal them from the public, his con- 

 duct would meet with universal reprehension and contempt ;t yet the thing 

 seems to be considered a matter of course, or is at least jaassed over with- 

 out censure, in Youatt, Spooner, Bischoff, and a host of earlier writers, 

 all of whom laud Mr. Bakewell to the echo ! 



" The improved Leicester is of large size, but somewhat smaller than 

 the original stock, and in this respect falls considerably below the coarser 

 varieties of Cotswold, Lincoln, &c. Where there is a sufficiency of feed, 

 the New Leicester is unrivaled for its fattening properties, but it will not 

 bear hard stocking, nor must it be compelled to travel far in search of its 

 food. It is, in fact, properly and exclusively a lowland sheep. In its ap- 

 propriate situation, on the luxuriant herbage of the highly cultivated lands 

 of England, it possesses unrivaled earliness of maturity ; and its mutton, 

 when not too fat, is of a good quality, but is usually coarse, and compara- 

 tively deficient in flavor, owing to that unnatural state of fatness which it 

 so readily assumes, and Avhich the breeder, to gain weight, so generally 

 feeds for. The wethers, having reached their second year, are turned off 

 in the succeeding February or March, and weigh at that age from thirty 

 to thirty-five pounds to the quarter. The wool of the New Leicester is 

 long — averaging, after the first shearing, about six inches ; and the fleece 

 of the American animal weighs about six pounds. It is of coarse quality, 

 and little used in the manufacture of cloths, on account of its length, and. 

 that deficiency of felting properties common, in a greater or less extent, to 

 all the English breeds. As a combing wool, however, it stands first, and 

 is used in the manufacture of the finest worsteds, &c. 



" The high bred Leicesters of Mr. Bakewell's stock became shy breed- 

 ers and poor nurses, but crosses subsequently adopted " have, to some ex- 

 tent, obviated these defects. So far as my experience has extended in this 

 country, however, the lambs are not very hardy, and require considerable 

 attention at the time of yeaning, particulai'ly if the weather is even moder- 

 ately cold or stormy. Neither can the grown sheep be considered, in my 

 opinion, very hardy. They arc much affected by sudden changes in the 

 weather, and a sudden change to cold is pretty sure to be registered on 

 their noses by unmistakable indications of catarrh or ' snuffles.' 



"In England, where mutton is generally eaten by the laboring classes, 

 the meat of this variety is in very great demand ; and the consequent re- 

 turn which a sheep possessing such fine feeding qualities is enabled to 

 make, renders it a general favorite with the breeder. Instances are re- 

 corded of the most extraordinary pi'ices having been paid for these ani- 



* For the Regiilarions of this Society, see Vouatr, p. 317. 



t Of co\irae I do not include in this cutcgoi-y those nnmelcss venders of recipes for killing Cannda This- 

 tles, mr?, &c. (fcc. ; and men who spend their time and property in inventing improved inrplenients. etc., 

 are entitled to the pay ottered by the Patent laws. But, among our a!;riculturi.«ts of ftnndiii^', who has ever 

 known of a single instance of a valuable discovery in the operations of husbandry bein<r coiicealed or with- 

 held from the public ? Who has known a breeder of rank wheedle n partner out of one-half of a valuable 

 bull, !i>ul then refu'-e the quondam paittior the services of that bull at any price, lest he should prove a 

 dimgcrouB rival in breeding? Yet, what English writer has expressed any contempt for such meanness? 

 These things would not " go down" among us " repudiators" ! 

 (373) 



