394 



Farming of Lincolnshire, 



proved Oxfordshire breeds. They partake largely of the pecu- 

 liarities of both Cotswold and Leicester, having the expansion of 

 frame and nobility of appearance of the one, combined in a great 

 degree with the quality of flesh, compactness of form, beauty of 

 countenance, lightness of offal, and inclination to fatten of the 

 other ; but they far exceed either in the weight of their wool. 

 They are usually kept until 27 to 33 months' old, when their 

 weight is from 28 lbs. to 72 lbs. per quarter; and the two clips 

 of wool weigh together about 20 to 25 lbs.* Under good m.an- 

 agement this wool is of a quality which rarely fails of obtaining 

 a price equal to that of the lighter long-wools, or even pure 

 Leicesters ; and there is, therefore, perhaps no breed that can 

 equal this in rapidity of growth and propensity to fatten under 

 a fleece so weighty and valuable. The more celebrated breeders 

 of rams of this variety are Messrs. Kiikham, Benniworth, Top- 

 ham, Clarke, &c.t in the midland and south-western parts of 

 Lincolnshire the sheep are more closely allied to the true-bred 

 Leicesters (the proportion of blood " being estimated at three 

 parts Leicester to one of old Lincoln), and are very compact 

 and well formed, with fine and good countenances, and rather 

 close-set but beautiful wool. They can generally be fed off at 

 the age of 18 to 27 months, and are noted for their large 

 proportion of lean meat ; if kept longer it is for the purpose 

 of taking the fleece — the two fleeces weighing together about 

 17 lbs., and the carcass about 35 lbs. per quarter on an average. J 

 The more eminent breeders of this kind are Messrs. Casswell, 

 Brice, Clarke, Gilliatt, Chaplin, Cooke, Smith, &c. In the 

 northern and north-eastern parts of the county about one-fifth 

 of the sheep are pure Leicesters, of the superior breed some- 

 times called improved Leicester; Messrs. Abraham, Skipworth, 

 Torr, Dudding, &c., are a few of the favourite breeders. The 

 remaining four-fifths are descended from the original large Lin- 

 colnshire sheep, crossed latterly with Leicester rams — bemg thus 

 neither too coarse nor too delicate, uniting size with quality, and 

 having heavier fleeces though of coarser quality than those of the 

 unmixed Leicesters. These sheep are admirably suited to the 



* Some instances of extraordinary weight may be stated : — A wether sheep killed in 

 Holbeach Marsh in 1844 weighed 72-^ lbs. per quarter ; 10 wethers were produced by 

 one farmer, in the same locality and at the same time, averaging upwards of 52 lbs. 

 per quarter each ; and an ewe from Long Sutton Marsh, exhibited at the Smithfield 

 Club Cattle Show in 1846, weighed when dead 65 J lbs. per quarter, or 262 lbs. the 

 whole carcass. 



• t The writer has hitherto avoided personal references : under this head, however, 

 names are of great consequence, and some of the more noted breeders of sheep are here 

 mentioned. 



J A breeder in the neighbourhood of Grantham showed a shearling sheep (some time 

 ago) which clipped 17 lbs. of wool, and weighed 22 stones, — being one out of an 

 "even " lot of 27. 



