SHEEP. 



as are the clofelt flocked, are found in common to afford 

 (heep that give the beft proof, but ii has probably lefs effeft 

 in this way than is generally imagined, as particular breeds 

 give a fuperiority of proof on poor lands, to that of others 

 on very rich. Time has confiderable effe£l in giving proof 

 to Uieep, as by it fat is enabled to be coUefted and formed 

 internally ; but difpofing of the animals at (hort periods con- 

 ftitutes the great advantage of the grazing farmer, and he 

 has no reafon to breed and fatten his ftock for the benefit 

 of the butcher and other dealers in tallow. The manage- 

 ment in regard to breeding and croffing, as well as the nature 

 of the wool, are faid to influence the proof ni thefe animals, 

 as where the more ordinary forms are adhered to, the proof 

 will be greater than in the contrary circamltances, as they 

 have a greater tendency to form tallow and loofe infide fat. 

 And though fome think long white watery wool favour- 

 able to proof, others fuppole it the contrary, as denoting 

 adifpofition to fatten quickly, and as preventing infide fat 

 by taking away the nourifhment, thereby concluding tine 

 fliort-woolled fheep more difpofed to afford good proof. 

 The good or bad forms and feel of particular parts, as of 

 the head, the neck, the bread, the back, the barrel, the 

 bone, the (kin or pelt, and the flefh, often afford indications 

 of proof, though not always fuch as are certain ; as when 

 the firft is large, the fecond long and thin, the third narrow, 

 thin, and high, the back thin and llraight, the carcafe thin 

 and not well rounded, the bone long and large, the hide 

 or Ikin flicky and hard, and the flefli liarfh. But thefe dif- 

 ferent indications of proof cannot, it is evident, always be 

 •wholly depended on, as Iheep may have one or more of the 

 marks or properties which denote good proof, but which 

 may be counteraftcd by others that favour difpofition and 

 other fimilar qualities to the contrary ; confequently where 

 two fheep are fimilarly formed, that which has the largeft 

 head and firmed ficfh may moftly be concluded to give the 

 beft proof. The opinions on proof ought, in faft, conftantly 

 to be formed from the greateft combination of the marks of 

 it met with in the particular animals examined. 



Perhaps, fo far as proof is capable of being judged of 

 before the animals are killed, it may be known by the feel 

 of the fat glandular part, which extends from the bottom 

 part of the neck to the fhoulder, which in lean llieep is fo 

 very fmall as fcarcely to be felt, while in thofe that are pro- 

 perly fatted by fufficient time, ox foaked, as it is fometimes 

 termed, there is a different fized cufhion or projection of 

 the fame fat glandular part extending to the thick portion 

 of the flioulder ; by the feel on the ribs and tail or dock, 

 which, when it is thick, fat, and mellow, the fheep will 

 commonly, it is thought, die well for proof. A thick loin 

 is fometimes alfo thought a mark of proof in the kidney 

 and weight. The feel of the fore dug of barren ewes and 

 the cod of wethers, likewife fhew, it is thought, proof. 

 Many of thefe marks muft, however, be allowed to be pre- 

 carious and uncertain. 



It cannot on the whole be doubted, from what has 

 been Itated on the fubjeft of proof, but that the interefts 

 of the butcher and the grazing farmer are at variance 

 as matters ftand at prefent, as what is the gain of one 

 muft be the lofs of the other, where the thing is well under 

 ttood. 



In the Agricultural Survey of the County of Norfolk, 

 lately pubhfhed, it is noticed, that the South Down breed 

 is getting rapidly into the poffeffion of all the country from 

 Swaff ham to HoLkham ; but that from Brandon to Swaff ham 

 many Norfolks remain. However, fome mixture was obferved 

 even in that diftrift. And it is ftated that Mr. Coke is 

 well fatisfied of the advantage of the breed from Leicefter 



ewes and Bakewell tups. His flock of 160 new Leicefter 

 ewes produced, in 1802, 100 lamb's ; his flock of 630 South 

 Downs produced 830 lambs living m June. The fame farm, 

 it is added, yields a moll mterefting comparifon between 

 Norfolks and South Downs; his former flock was 800 

 Norfolks, SELLING all the produce : he planted 700 acres, and 

 now has 800 South Downs, keeping all the produce. Fur- 

 ther, that his new Leicefter hogs and theaves produced 81bs. 

 of wool each in the fame yeir, yet they had been hard kept 

 on feeds fed very bare. And it is ftated, that though he 

 had a high opinion formerly of the crofs between the new 

 Leicefter tup and Norfolk ewe, now ( 1803) his opinion is 

 changed from much experience ; fo that he prefers the crofs 

 of a South Down ram on a Norfolk ewe to that of a Leicefter 

 ram. And it is added, that Mr. Hofte has had the fame 

 crofs, and they come to 32lbs. a quarter, at two-fhear. He 

 put a Norfolk tup and a Bakewell tup at the fame time to 

 the fame parcel of Norfolk ewes, and at St. Ive's fair fold 

 the lambs fat at fix or feven months old, and the Bakewelh 

 brought juil double the price of the Norfolks. In April 

 1799, ^^■'* Coke, on fending Norfolk, South Down, and 

 new Leicefter three-fhear wethers to Smithfield, that had 

 been fed together, the return was : 



£ s. d. 

 AveTigeper head, 'Norfolks - - - 300 



Leicelters - - .'- - - 422 



South Downs - - - - - - 372 



Ditto, fleeces included, the others being in their 

 coats ...... 



3 15 



And in May following above 100 going, the South Downs 

 beat the new Leicefters by 2s. a-head. It is alfo obferved, 

 that at Waterden, Mr. Money Hill, with about 500 acres 

 lefs land than at preient, kept 27 fcore breeding Norfolk 

 ewes, and fold the produce of lambs : now he has 35 fcore 

 South Down ewes, and keeps their produce, felling his 

 wool at p. a tod more than the Norfolk. And further, 

 th.-.t Mr. Bevan, in 1792, had a South Down flock, of 30 

 fcore, on one farm, and having a flock of Norfolks on an 

 adjoining farm at Knattifhall, he had an opportunity of com- 

 paring the wool exaftly : 34 fcore of Norfolks produced 

 43 tod at 281bs. ; and 34 Icore of South Downs produced 

 61 tod; which 61, kept till November, became 64, but 

 the fummer very wet. 



lbs. 

 South Downs ... 1 708 



Norfolks - ... 1204 



Superiority, juft ^Ib. each 



504 



Alfo that in 1791, the fhepherd would not let his own 

 Norfolk ewes take the South Down i-am ; but in 1792 he 

 was ready enough. He faid they would eat harder than 

 the Norfolks ; and would eat what the Norfolks would not ; 

 that they are more quiet and obedient than the Norfolks ; 

 fo that he has done with them what he could not do with the 

 Norfolks ; folded them almoll to an inch without hurdU-s. 

 And that a neighbouring farmer bought three rams of Mr. 

 Bevan, at 5/. Jj. each ; but afterwards repenting, becaufe 

 they \vou\d Jliiin hk^oci, Mr. Bevan offered him 6d. a-head, 

 for all their lambs, more than he fold his Norfolks for, io 

 the fame flock, at Ipfwich fair. The offer was accepted; 

 the price proved 6/. 3*/. for the ewe lambs, and 9^. for the 

 wethers. Mr. Bevan refold the ewes for 9^. and the wethers 

 for los. 6d., or 2j. i^d. a-head in favour of the iialf-breds. 

 Further, that when his ftieep were Norfolks, he kept 500; 

 but in 1 794, he had 960 South Downs. That the pro- 

 duce 



