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CHAPTER Y. 

 THE ENGLISH LEICESTER. 



This is the purest bred sheep of all the British long- 

 wools, and it has been largely used in the improvement 

 of other breeds. The Lincoln, the Romney, and the 

 Border Leicester bear a large trace of the blood of the 

 English Leicester. Great purity of blood suggests 

 delicacy of constitution, and this cha.rge against the 

 English Leicester may be best met by seeing that the 

 conditions under which it exists are favourable. Dry, 

 arable land, devoted to crop growing and mixed farming 

 is a favourable lodging place for the English Leicester, 

 but it will thrive on poorer pasture than the Lincoln. 

 Like the Lincoln and the Border Leicester it grows a 

 lot of fat. It is a very valuable sheep for cross- 

 breeding, for it produces an evener set of lambs 

 than any other breed, which is another result of purity 

 of blood, and it does not transmit any weakness of con- 

 stitution to crossbred descendants. The wool of the 

 English Leicester is of good length, lustrous, and hangs 

 curly rather than in masses. The fleece weighs heavier 

 than the Romney's or the Border Leicester's. 



