The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-19 00:00:00

MOUNT ST. BERNARD'S REFORMA7OBY,
LEICESTER.

We are not going to write of the glories of the
chase, nor to chronicle the deeds of daring per-
formed over the finest hunting country in Eng-
land. It is not our intention to bring again under
notice the feats of Osbaldiston, nor to describe
what has been done by our own marquis of Water-
ford. " Market llarborough " will not receive
from us the meed of praise it deserves in a vena-
torial point of view ; be it ours the task to describe
what we saw of the agriculture of a portion of the
county daring the short time we had at our dis-
posal, from the late show of the Royal Agricul-
tural Society at Leicester.

The town of Leicester, noted for hosiery, elastic
web, and boot and shoe manufacture, as well as its
enormous growth of population within a very short
time, is situated near the centre of the county.
Around the town the country is rather leTel
than otherwise ; and in a north-westerly direction
towards and embracing the rich pastures of Melton
Blowbray and the Vale of Belvoir, this evenness
of surface contrasts with the undulating character
of the rest of the county. Looking south-west-
ward, we find the vast coal fields of Bagworth,
Coleorton, and Moira ; and stretching about seven
miles east and west, as nearly central as possible,
is the range of curious, abrupt Cambrian hills
called Charnwood Forest, and which once carried
rather a heavy timber growth. Nothing now re-
mains of this forest beyond its name and the marks
of the charcoal pits, which in the spring time show
what has become of the noble trees that had grown
there.

The height of Charnwood Forest above the sea
level is about 600 feet, and the height of the ridge
above the surrounding country is generally nearly
250 feet. The climate in summer is delightful, but
the winters are very severe. The seasons change
very rapidly ; on account of which farmers must
act with promptitude in their farming operations.
The agriculturist, as well as the pleasure or
health-seeking tourist, would find on the " forest"
much that is interesting. Near to here, within a
short distance from Coalville station, is the farm
of Ravenstone, upon which Mr. R. W. Cresswell
grows his magnificent Leicester rains, which have
earned for their breeders an almost world-wide
celebrity. On tho opposite side of the hilly range,
near to Loughborough, is the birthplace of the
Leicesters, where the immortal Bakewell, his rams,
his long-horns, and his pollards, gave to future
generations a theme which will inspire the agri-
cultural writer until sheep shall be no more.

A large amount of land reclamation has been
effected on the forest. Mr. Gisborne, a Yorkshire
gentleman, commenced many years ago, and since
then the work has progressed steadily. Mr. Shields,
who farms extensively, has brought a considerable
extent under cultivation. W. P. Herrick, Esq.,
encourages his tenants by fair covenants and
"tenant right" to reclaim the waste portions of
their farms; and under the able management of
his agent, Mr. Humphrey, Mr. Herrick's posses-
sions on the forest bids fair to be, at no distant
period, a model estate.

We were much interested by a visit to the Agri-
cultural Colony, a reformatory school for boys,
which is situated en the highest part of Charnwood
Forest.

About thirty years ago Mr. De Lisle, of Garen-
don Park, in Leicestershire, founded the Cistercian
Monastery, called the Abbey of Mount St. Ber-
nard's. In 1855 the then abbot of the monastery
believed that hip Jut:on/A might De usefully employed