SHEEP. 



In the difti-ift of Devonfiiire, many kinds of ftieep, be- 

 iides the native breeds, are had recourfe to by the farmers, 

 as the Dorfet, new Leicefler, Cotfwold, and South Down, 

 with erodes of thefe and feveral other kinds, as may be feeii 

 by the table introduced above. The laft of thele breeds 

 feems to be fa(l making its way, in fome places where the 

 land is dry, in this county too ; but other forts and crofles 

 are held in great favour for different purpofes and uies, as 

 for mutton, wool, feeding, and different others. 



In many of the northern and other counties, as in York- 

 fhire, Lancafhire, Cumberland, and feveral others, the new 

 Leicefter, South Down, and different improved breeds, 

 are now beginning to be had recourfe to, and fupplanting 

 the old native or other kinds. 



The trials have hitherto been fo few, in regard to the 

 comparative advantages of different breeds of fhecp, in what 

 regards the relative proportion of food to mutton, offal, 

 tallow, live and dead weight, and many other points, that 

 the Itock-farmer has been kept much in the dark. In order, 

 however, to tuUy clear up and afcertain thefe elientially 

 important matters, fo abfolutely necefiary to the perfect 

 knowledge of the fubjeft, the earl of Egremont lately or- 

 dered the following experiment to be made. The wether 

 lambs of the preceding fpring were ordered to be put up by 

 themfelves, into a paddock adjoining the Home-park. 

 There were of 



South Down wether lambs 



New Leicefler do. 



Half-bred new Leicefler and 

 South Down wether lamb?, 

 from fame get as above - 



Romney- Marfh wether lambs, ") 

 out of Mr. Wall's ewes by 

 his own ram, which, from 

 the cuitom there, of not 

 having artificial food, were 

 not lambed till May, 

 being therefore nearly two 

 months younger than any 

 of the rell ... 



Dedufl rams 



29 — 12 befl faved for rams. 

 25 — 6 do. faved for do. 



12 18 



73 

 18 



55 



Thefe fifty-five wether lambs, put into the paddock in 

 the month of Augult, were brought up and exainined on 

 the 25th of the June following, when it was found that 

 twelve of the South Down, and all the half-bred South 

 Down and new L'-iccflers, were in a marketable condition ; 

 but that none of the true new Leicefler or Romney-Marfhcs 

 were in any proper flate for fale. 



£ s. d. 

 Of the South Downs, ten out of the twelve "J 



were fent off to Smithfield market, fome days >■ I 14 o 



afterwards, and fetciied/itr fheep - -J 



Of the half-bred new Leiceflers and South' 



Downs, ten of the twelve, fent a week be- J- i i j o 



I 



fore to the fame market, brought per (he"p 



It is remarked, that the half-breds were feemingly the 

 better fhecp ; but they went to a bad market, when the 

 prices Were low. 



The two of the half-bred fort that remained, and which 

 were in eq lal condition for the market, vifere kept back, ai 

 forming part of the trial, detailed next column. 



Here, however, it is neceffary to paufe, it is faid, as the 

 experiment is already decifive of one point, namely, that at 

 this age of fix months, as noticed above, thofe two breeds 

 were fo much more advanced than the others, that they 

 might be profitably cleared from the land, and a frelh flock 

 fent in. It will remain, it is faid, for the future progrefs 

 of the trial, to afcertain whether fuch freih flock would not 

 pay better, than continuing the old ; and for this purpofe 

 it may be calculated, that the fheep now fold at the above 

 market at 34J., with the addition of 3^. for wool, pay for 

 fixty-four weeks id. the pound from the time of their being 

 lambed. This is noticed to be a very confiderable profit ; 

 and that if it fhould turn out, that keeping them much 

 longer is not attended with an advantage fome what propor- 

 tionate, it will clearly prove the fuperior benefit of that 

 breed, which may be got rid of at fo early an age. And it 

 is thought worthy of remark, that not one of the true new 

 Leicellers being in any condition fit to be drawn off in the 

 firil lot for market, is a circumflance mofl flrangely contra- 

 diftory of aflertions without end, that fattening at an early 

 age is almoll peculiarly a charafterillic of that breed. 



But to proceed with the trial. 



IK? • i_ I Ten Weeks' Gain 



° gain. I'er 100 lbs, 



lis. lbs. lbs. 



Sept. 7. South Downs 273 33 13 



Leiceflers 258 46 21 



Half-breds 294 34 13 



Romney-Marlhes 270 34 14 



It is noticed, that this refult is not very different from 

 ■what might have been expefted ; for as the Romney-Marfhes 

 and new Leiceiters were very much behind the South 

 Downs and half breds ten weeks before, it was natural to 

 fuppofe, that when they did begin to thrive, they would 

 do it in a more rapid manner. 



Weighed j^wVeks. Lofsper lOOlbs. 

 lbs. 



Dec. I. South Downs 264 



Leicellers 251 



Half-breds 282 



Romney-Marflies 269 



It is conlidered as very material, in all trials of this na- 

 ture, to note the lofies, as making fuch attempts double, 

 by not only fhewing when the flieep thrive, and which do 

 bell, but equally by marking when they go backward, and 

 which breed is molt capable of withflandiiig thofe circum- 

 ftanccs which operate againfl them all. In the above fcale, 

 the difference is not very material. In that lot which did 

 the worll, the lofs, it is faid, amounts to about \d. per 

 week ; but that it is unfavourable to every lot, that in a 

 period including the befl part of the autumn, as fheep 

 ihould thriv, when the weather is fuitable, deep into the 

 month of November, none of them fhould have gained, 

 which they ought to have done confiderably. Their paf- 

 ture, iiowever, though good in quality, was bare. 



The refult being found, the fheep were ordered to be 

 flarved for twenty-four hours; and after which, to be 

 turned out for other twenty-four hours ; propofing, by thus 

 weighing them, to afcertain the quantity of food eaten, and 

 the quantity voided : it being rightly conceived, that if, 

 upon the ripetition of fuch trials, there exilfed any remark- 

 able fiiperinntv, or any material difference, between the 

 rcfpeftive bn eds, it might tiirow fome light upon the 

 general inquiry. 



South 



