CROSS BREEDING FOR WOOL. 



251 



Then we go on to the new Leicester, bred from the mam- 

 moth coarse- woolecl Lincoln. Fig. 17 shows the character of 

 this wool, which measured 14 to 16 inches in length, and 

 had so little tendency to the felting quality as to be made 

 into the loosest kinds of fabrics, such as fringes, braids and 

 bindings. This monstrous sheep was out of date 100 

 years ago, when Mr. Bakewell had progressed somewhat in 

 building up his favorite sheep, known at that time as the 

 Bakewell, but afterwards as the improved Leicester, and. 

 considered as the very acme of skillful breeding. This suc- 

 cessful breeder told few of his secrets, but it is known that 

 he started with the Lincoln and used the Southdown as the 

 sire, to remodel the coarse ewe into a smooth, silky-fleeced 

 sheep that should make the finest mutton in the world; 

 a quick feeder, having a good, smooth carcass, much fat, 

 and as it happened as the result of this special character of 

 the animal, a producer of fine, soft, silky wool, of which 

 the best fabrics could be manufactured. It should be no- 

 ticed that every improvement in the carcass and in aptitude 

 for feeding and for early maturity told equally on the wool, 

 and by study of the Leicester fiber (fig. 18) we see the result 

 a wool almost of the Merino character, but 8 or 10 inches 

 long, suitable for the fleeciest fabrics, as the soft nubias, 

 and especially dear to the patriotic heart, as the material 



FIG. 18. Leicester. FIG. 17. Lincoln. FIG. 19. Shropshire, 

 of the emblem of freedom that waves over the American 

 capitol. This wool is the material of which the dress bunt- 

 ings are made and the soft head dresses of the farmer's 

 wives and daughters, when they make their evening visits. 



