HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 55 



The fuperior qualities of the Leicefterfhire breed are, 

 that they will feed quickly fat at almoft any age, even on 

 indifferent paftures, and carry the greateft quantity of 

 mutton upon the fmalleft bone. Their carcafes'are 

 round, have remarkably broad backs, and mort legs 

 and to (hew the immenfe weight to which they may be 

 fed, we give the meafurement of a Ram of Mr Bake- 

 well's, mentioned by Young in his " Eaflern Tour 

 At three years old, his girt was five feet ten inches ; 

 height, two feet five inches ; breadth over his {boulders, 

 one foot eleven inches and an half ; breadth over his ribs, 

 one foot ten inches and an half \ breadth over his hips., 

 one foot nine inches and an half. 



The great importance of this breed of Sheep will bed 

 be fhewn, by dating the following facts refpecling the 

 modern practice of letting out Rams for hire by the fea- 

 fon ; which, from very fmall beginnings, has already 

 rifen to an aftonifhing height; and is likely, for fome 

 time, to prove a copious fource of wealth to the country 

 at large : — — About forty years ago, Mr Bakewell let out 

 Rams at fixteen and feventeen {hillings a-piece; and, 

 from that time, the prices kept gradually rifing from one 

 guinea to ten. But the mod rapid increafe has taken 

 place fince the year 1780 — four hundred guineas have 

 been repeatedly given. Mr Bakewell, in the year 1789, 

 made twelve hundred guineas by three Rams ; two thou- 

 fand of feven ; and, of his whole flock, three thoufand 



guineas. Aftoniihing as this may appear, it is never- 



thelefs an undoubted fact:. But it ought to be obferved, 

 that thefe great prices are not given by graziers, for the 

 purpofe of improving their grazing {lock j but by princi- 

 pal breeders, in order to procure a {lock of Rams of the 



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