VARIOUS BREEDS OE SHEEP IN GREAT BRITAIN. 585 
for the markets. An instance may be given of three 
slaughtered, some few years since, aged respectively 3, 2, 
and 1 year, and weighing 386 lb., 364 lb., and 284 lb. The 
sheep kept on the higher and lighter soils (the Wolds) are, as 
might be expected, smaller in size both of carcase and fleece, 
but possess all the characters of the breed. These generally 
contain more Leicester blood. 
The fleece of the lowland sheep possesses a very long staple 
with a bright and glossy face, and weighs on the average 
10 lb., — some considerably exceed that w T eight. The upland 
fleece may be taken at 8 lb. 
This breed is met with in some districts crossed with the 
Exmoor, the South Down, and the Bampton; the usual cross, 
however, is with the Leicester. 
Leicesters . — It was about the middle of the last century 
when Mr. Bakewell, of Dishley, in Leicestershire, began his 
experiments in the improvement of the breed of long-woolled 
sheep, at that time common to the midland counties. The 
old Leicesters were then considered as possessing many 
valuable properties ; at the same time they possessed many 
defects. These defects Bakewell sought by a judicious 
crossing with other breeds to remedy, while at the same time 
he retained the good points of the original breed. Up to this 
period the great object of breeders seems to have been con- 
fined to the production of animals of the largest size possible, 
and carrying the heaviest fleece. The old Leicesters are 
described as large, heavy, coarse-grained animals, the meat 
having but little flavour and no delicacy — the carcase was 
long and thin, flat-sided, with large bones, on thick rough 
legs. The fleece was heavy and long, and of coarse quality. 
The sheep were slow feeders, and when sent to market at 
two and three years old, weighed about 100 to 1201b. each. 
Such were the characteristics of the stock upon which Bake- 
well commenced his improved system of breeding. Recog- 
nising the relation which exist between the form of an animal 
and its physical tendencies, he sought to cross his sheep 
with such breeds as he considered would be most likely to 
ensure those points in the animal frame which were defective 
in the old breed, and thus to induce an aptitude to lay on 
the largest possible amount both of flesh and fat in the 
shortest space of time, and at the least expenditure of food. 
The fleece, too, was not forgotten, as that would necessarily 
share in the general improvement of the animal. Of course 
time was required to develope the progressive improvements 
of his system, and also to overcome the prejudices of his day, 
and obtain for his improved breed that recognition which has 
