December 7, 1882. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
537 
from this office post free for 1.?. 1 d , contains a chapter on frame culture, besides 
other useful information on the subject. In reference to your other question, 
about 25 tons of rich manure would be a good dressing, giving, if needed, 
a sprinkling of nitrate of soda and superphosphate of lime in the spring or early 
summer when the crops are in a growing state. 
Names of Plants (W. J. if.). —Eupatorium odoratum is the plant of 
which you sent a spray without leaves (see above), the other we cannot recog¬ 
nise from the specimen sent, all the flowers having closed. (Sigma ).—Pereskia 
aculeata, see reply above. ( C. D., Wales ).—Without more definite particulars 
we cannot tell to what Chrysanthemum you refer; probably, however, it is 
C. carinatum. Send flowers of the Aquilegia, the leaf alone is not sufficient. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.—DECEMBER 6Tir. 
Our Apple market is now very quiet, being principally supplied from Canada, 
samples reaching us in good order, and generally fine. Hothouse Grapes are in 
good supply, and coming in better condition. Kent Cobs firm. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
s. d. 
8. 
d. 
9. 
d. 
Apples. 
j sieve 
2 
0to7 0 
Lemons. 
0to30 
0 
Apricots. 
doz. 
0 
0 
0 0 
Melons. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Cherries. 
\ sieve 
0 
0 
0 0 
Nectarines.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chestnuts. 
bushel 10 
0 
12 0 
Oranges .... 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Currants, Black.. 
£ sieve 
0 
0 
0 0 
Peaches .... 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ Red.... 
£ sieve 
0 
0 
0 0 
Pears,kitchen .. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Figs. 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 0 
dessert .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Filberts. 
ft. 
0 
6 
0 0 
Pine Apples, 
English tb. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
100 tfe. 
:S 
0 
50 0 
Raspberries . 
lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Gooseberries .... 
4 sieve 
0 
0 
0 0 
Stra’wberries 
lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Grapes . 
lb. 
I 
0 
5 6 
VEGETABLES. 
8 
d. 
S. d. 
9. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
dozen 
2 
0 to 4 0 
Lettuces 
1 
6 
Asparagus. 
bundle 
0 
0 
0 0 
Mushroom a 
i 
0 
1 
6 
Beans,Kidney.... 
100 
1 
0 
0 0 
Mustard A Cress .. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Beet, Red. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 0 
Onions. 
2 
3 
2 
6 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
9 
1 6 
Parsley. 
doz.bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts.. 
J sieve 
1 
6 
2 0 
Parsnips .... 
i 
0 
2 
0 
dozen 
1) 
6 
1 0 
Peas . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
100 
1 
6 
2 0 
6 
0 
7 
0 
Carrots . 
bunch 
0 
4 
0 0 
Kidney.... 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Cauliflowers. 
dozen 
2 
0 
3 0 
Radishes.... 
doz. bunches 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery . 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 0 
Rhubarb .... 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 0 
Salsafy. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
each 
0 
6 
1 0 
Soorzonera 
1 
e 
0 
8 
Endive. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 0 
Seakale 
2 
G 
3 
0 
Fennel. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 0 
Shallots .... 
. lb. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
G irlie . 
lb. 
0 
6 
0 0 
Spinach .... 
3 
0 
0 
0 
Herbs . 
bunch 
o 
2 
0 0 
Tomatoes .. 
. Ib. 
0 
8 
1 
0 
Leeks. 
bunc 
0 
8 
0 4 
Turnips .... 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
THE LEICESTER BREED OF SHEEP. 
The rise and progress of this breed of sheep is one of the most 
important histories in connection with our long-woolled sheep 
stock. The old Leicester breed was a large coarse sheep, pos¬ 
sessing an abundant fleece with only a fair disposition to fatten. 
The Dishley or new Leicester, which for maDy years has quite 
supplanted and superseded the parent stock so as to be denomi¬ 
nated the Leicester, is probably, with reference to its origin, the 
most artificial of any, having been moulded, as it were, by the 
master hand of Bakewell, obedient to certain principles which 
he believed to be correct, and which the experience of subsequent 
years has fully justified. Mr. Bakewell commenced the improve¬ 
ment of the Leicesters probably about 1750. In the year 17G0, 
when the first letting of his rams was held, the first animal let 
for the season only made 1C,?., and it was not until about twenty 
years afterwards that Mr. Bakewell obtained a remunerating 
price for his sheep. It was then stated to have been only ten 
guineas ; it, however, afterwards rapidly increased, so that in 
1786 he realised three hundred guineas for the use of one ram 
let for the season. But three years afterwards, in 1789, he obtained 
for the letting of his rams the large sum of 6200 guineas, but the 
number let is not recorded. Still he must have been hand¬ 
somely repaid and rewarded for his long-continued and untiring 
exertions under difficulties and opposition beneath which most 
men would have abandoned their pursuit as hopeless. 
There were, as we may suppose, strong traits in the character 
of Mr. Bakewell which, we are told, were quaint, but decided and 
peculiar. It is related of him that when he received a summons 
to show one of his horses in London to George III., His Majesty 
looked much more at the man than the horse. His management 
of vicious animals is said to have been remarkably effective. A 
horse which was sent to him as irreclaimable soon followed him 
like a dog up and down the Loughborough corn market, and a 
bull, which arrived at Dishley under the escort of six cows and 
a man on horseback with a nine-foot spike, was reduced to sub¬ 
mission by a system of starvation, sleeplessness, and scratching 
at the tail head, which was supposed to go on for three or four 
consecutive days and nights. The memoirs of the old Leicester¬ 
shire worthy have never been published, but his sayings, such 
as “ Money wears but three lives,” “ Consume half the corn you 
grow with beasts, or lay out half its price in cake,” “ Rise with 
the lark and to bed with the lamb,” are still preserved with his 
essays in a MS. book at Dishley. The essays are short and take 
a wide range, for which we cannot find space, but we need 
scarcely say were highly suggestive and characteristic of the 
man. 
The sources from whence Mr. Bakewell derived his breed 
cannot be accurately ascertained. The old Lincoln, the Tees- 
water, and the Warwickshire have each been named, and it is 
said that other sorts of long-woolled stock have also been employed. 
There is no doubt that Bakewell was not particular as to the 
source so that he could obtain the desired qualifications. He was 
very uncommunicative on this point, and the knowledge of the 
real origin was lost with him. It is probable, however, that the 
foundation of his breed was the best existing specimens of the old 
Leicester breed, for we are informed that Mr. Bakewell found by 
selecting smaller and more compact animals that he produced an 
earlier maturity and a greater disposition to fatten, which more than 
compensated in his breeding plans and objects for the loss of weight 
and diminished size. Thus by systematically and unremittingly 
carrying out his principles—viz., to attain as near as possible per¬ 
fection of form, style, and type, he at length produced an animal 
which far surpassed all others of the period in the before-mentioned 
qualities, comprising, as it has been well observed by Mr. Culley, 
one of his admirers, in the same apparent dimensions greater 
weight than any other sheep, with an earlier maturity and a 
greater tendency to fatten, a diminution in the proportion of 
offal, and the return of the most money for the quantity of food 
consumed. 
We can easily imagine even in those days that this system could 
not be carried out without rapidly extending the improved breed, 
and of course improving the flocks of other sheep-breeders to a 
vast extent, and inducing other parties to seek a participation in 
the advantages of the system. Accordingly its advocates and 
promoters formed themselves into a club, denominated the 
Dishley Society, with the object of extending their breed, pre¬ 
serving it pure, and benefiting and protecting themselves. This 
Society was established by Mr. Bakewell, and a code of laws 
was adopted extending to thirteen clauses, for which we cannot 
find space in our notice, but must refer the home farmer to a 
work in which they appear by Mr. W. C. Spooner, M.R.V.C., “ On 
the Structure, Economy, and Diseases of Sheep.” Every farmer 
should possess this work, which is sold at a moderate price. We 
need scarcely say that these rules were laid down for the purpose 
of jealously guarding and preserving the purity of the breed, and 
the benefit of the members, and it was undoubtedly by strict 
attention to these rules and the principles adopted by Mr. 
Bakewell that the Leicester sheep continued to improve and to be 
introduced into one county after another, especially in the grazing 
districts of the midland and north-midland counties. Their 
merits were sufficiently tested at that time by the fact that they 
invariably bore away the prizes when competing with other long- 
woolled sheep at the shows of the Smithfield Club and other 
societies. 
The various points which distinguish the Leicester sheep may 
be thus correctly described :—The head should be hornless, long, 
small, tapering towards the muzzle and projecting horizontally 
forwards; the eyes prominent, but with a quiet expression ; the 
ears thin, rather long, and directed backwards. The neck full and 
broad at its base where it proceeds from the chest, but gradually 
tapering towards the head, and being particularly fine at the 
junction of the head and neck; the neck seeming to project 
straight from the chest, so tbat there is, with the slightest possible 
deviation, one continued horizontal line from the rump to the poll. 
The breast broad and full; the shoulders also broad and round, 
and no uneven or angular formation where the shoulders join at 
either the neck or the back, particularly no rising of the withers, 
or hollow behind the situation of these bones. The arm fleshy 
through its whole extent, and even down to the knee ; the bones 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
