DOMESTIC BEEEDS OF SHEEP. 41 



of quality has "been emphasized, and to-day the purebred Leicester is 

 no longer common in England. Flocks are still to be found, however, 

 in East and North Yorkshire, Cheshire, Cumberland, Durham, and 

 Leicestershire. Because of their value in crossing and the important 

 part that they have played in establishing the ovine breeds, it is to be 

 hoped that they will not be entirely lost in crossing upon other breeds. 



The Border Leicester is sometimes considered a type of the English 

 or New Leicester, but there are differences enough to justify it being 

 classed as a distinct breed, and this has been done in Britain. The 

 origin of this breed is debatable. In 1767 George and Matthew 

 Culley, friends of Bakewell, established themselves upon a farm at 

 Fenton, near Wooller, among the Cheviot Hills. They took some of 

 Bakewell's improved stock with them, and some authorities claim 

 that this was crossed upon the Teeswater sheep in the establishment 

 of the new breed, while others claim that the Cheviot entered as a 

 foundation stock. At any rate, the breed is now established in 

 Northumberland, Yorkshire, Durham, and Lothian. 



The principal differences between the Border and Bakewell types 

 are as follows : The head of the former is clean cut, covered with short 

 white hair, and entirely free from wool. The face is white and the 

 ears are carried erect. The features of the latter are not so sharply 

 defined; they are slightly wooled about the top of the head, and the 

 wool carries down farther upon their legs. Their face has a bluish 

 tinge, and they are not so neat about the middle as the Border type. 



The improved mutton qualities of the Border Leicester have 

 greatly aided it in replacing the older type. Its adaptability to 

 conditions in northern England and southern Scotland have caused 

 it to be called the "mainstay of farming" in the border counties. 

 The rams are very popular here for crossing upon Cheviot ewes. 



Bakewell, or Dishley, Leicesters were introduced into America 

 before the Revolutionary War. Records show that Washington 

 used rams of this breed in improving his flock at Mount Vernon, 

 which at. one time amounted to 800 head. Purebred Bakewell ewes 

 were also brought over, for when Washington's flock was dispersed 

 in 1802 George Washington Custis purchased three of these animals. 

 The Arlington Longwools, famous in early American sheep history, 

 were developed by the latter gentleman, who followed Washington's 

 plan of breeding the "Persian" sheep of the neighborhood to im- 

 prove Leicester rams. The Arlington flock made steady progress 

 until eclipsed by the Merino. After the advent of the latter they 

 were no longer bred pure to any considerable extent. Some of the 

 sheep of the South, especially the Tennessee mountain variety, 

 resemble these, and it is not improbable that they have descended 

 from them. 



