ON SHEET. 



279 



very excellent flavor. Quick feeders. Constitution hardy and 

 vigorous. Capable of great improvement. Lawrence, an Eng- 

 lish agriculturist, says, they are second to none of the breeds in 

 Britain, and recommends them very highly for "hill or pasture 

 sheep." PowEL, in the Memoirs of the Pennsijlvaaia ^Agricultural 

 Socielt/, says, the South Down Sheep have fuier fleeces of shorter . 

 staple and much less weight, smaller, carcases, less loaded with fat, 

 showing more proof within, affording mutlou of tiner texture and 

 beiler llavor than any breed known. Their forms are hot so accu- 

 rate, their fore quarters bein2, iighlei- and their necks larger than 

 those of the Dislsley Sheep, but th<'!r chests are sufliciently wide to 

 allord ample space for the position of their lungs ; upon the health- 

 ful action of which, able, scientific and practical men agree, the 

 vigor and useful animal secretions must depend. They are much 

 more hardy ; have more offal ; they consume rather more food in 

 proportion to their size than the Dishley Sheep, but by their vigor 

 and activity, are enabled to find support, and to thrive upon bleak 

 and barren hills, where Dishley Sheep would die from exposure, or 

 would starve. 



3. Dishley, or JVerc Leicester Sheep. This breed of Sheep have 

 been introduced into Massachusetts, by S. Williams, Esq., of 

 Northboro', in that State, and a few importations have been made 

 by others. Mustapha, a portrait of whom accompanies this num- 

 ber, is from Mr. Williams' flock, and belongs to the Editor. The 

 drawing gives a good representation of him, excepting that the 

 legs are rather too long, and too large. The characteristics of this 

 breed, are, — heads clean, straight, broad, and without horns ; eyes 

 bright and lively ; pelts thin ; wool long and fine, admirably well 

 calculated for combing, and weighing on an average, eight pounds 

 per fleece. They fatten kindly and very early, being remarkably 

 well calculated for the market; thriving and remaining quiet on 

 pastures that will scarcely keep other sheep, and requiring less 

 food than others. Constitution not quite so hardy as that of the 

 South Downs. The world is indebted to the celebrated Bakewell 

 for this breed, who brought it to a degree of size, &c. really aston- 

 ishing ; and it was rams of this breed, which he let for such enor- 

 mous prices. In 1789, "He made twelve hundred guineas by 

 three rams ; two thousand, by seven, and of his whole stock, three 

 thousand guineas." [See Bewick^s History of Quadrupeds, — Lou- 

 do7i, — Young'' s Tour, ^c. c^c.] 



