The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-10-05
TOPICS FOR THE FARM.
LeIcester Sheen.-Amonu tbe

Leicester Sheep.-Among the i'm.
ported breeds of sheep in Great Britain,
the first rank belongs to the Leicester,
which is the largest type of the long
wooded sheep in that country, and it is
more widely met with than any other.
A few years since, when the whole num-
Der of sheep in Great Britain was a.
531 900, their numbers and classification
were as follows: Leicester and their
allies, IL. $4,000; Downs and allies,
$4,000; Cheviots, 1858 900; Black
faced, SOL 900; Welsh, 1000, 900; and
Irish, 100000.
race than either Lincolns or Cotswolds.
but in the hands of Blackwell they were
modelled into type of animal that
eventually impressed its qualities more
or less upon every other variety of long
wooded sheep. The rams of the breed
are in high demand for the purpose of
crossing with other breeds; and the Lei
cesters possess remarkable fattening
qualities, while arriving at maturity at
very early age. Blackwell was first
heard of in connection with this breed
of sheep in 1850, when he commenced a
system of letting rams, as distinguished
from selling. In less than twenty five
years he achieved great success. Prob
ably no better proof of the value of the
Leicester could be afforded than the fact
that in England they have superseded a
vast proportion of the sheep of the
country, while they have also been ex-
tensively used to improve almost every
other breed.
The Leicesters do not present in their
outline the form of parallelogram on
four legs, as is often adduced as the best,
but rather the ovate form. The fore
quarter of the Leicester is remarkably
well developed, the shoulders are wide
and sloping, the animal stands close to
the ground, the neck is short, so that
the head is raised but little above the
line of the back; the ribs are well sprung
and the carcass very true, the hips well
covered, but not wide and tapering to
the rump, which is small; the back is
covered with fat. With great capacity
for external and rapid development
there is little inside fat, hence Leicesters
are not favorites with the butcher.
Their great point is early development
and accumulation of weight on a given
amount of food. The forehead is fiat
and generally bare or covered with short
hair. Formerly great point was made
of bare heads, but now most breeders
prefer to have close, short wool, which
protects from the fly. The eye is full
and prominent, indicating docility of
disposition, the head is tolerably long
and fine, while the ears are thin and
rather long. The legs of mutton are not
large, and there is deficiency of meat.
The skin is thin and very supple, while
the wool is fine and fairly long.
The Leicesters are not a prolific breed,
though they are fair nurses and gener-
ally affectionate mothers. In early DAYS
too many lambs were regarded as a great
evil, and if the breeder left off with an
equal number with the ewes they were
well content. In these days more fruit
full sorts are desirable. Leicester sheep,
however, are esteemed for their value as
ewes, and it is on account of the extra
ordinary influence they have exercised
on most of the leading breeds that they
merit high place. This breed of sheep
is not adapted to inferior soils, nor to
WduucG ldT III ScdTCn Oh lOOu, nor 10
suffer occasional scantiness or depriva-
ton of nourishment, but on all soils of
moderate and superior quality and in
good pastures they are extremely profit
able to the breeder. The lambs are
inclined to be tender and weakly, and
are not quickly covered with coat of
wool. The fleece is also inferior to the
largest weights of wool. Delicate tenn
peraments, arising from over refinement,
were the only signs of the above def
ciencies. The actual weight is various,
owing to the larger and smaller varieties
and of the treatment received. The
fattened wethers of two years old will
average from twenty-five to thirty-fve
pounds per quarter. The wool is of
medium length, six to eight inches, and
the fleece about eight pounds. The
length does not enter into the first rate
combing woods, and for the purpose of
worsted it is inferior to the woods of
other breeds; but, being evenly grown,
soft and of good color, and possessing
several properties of long wool in per-
lection, it commands the highest price
in England, and is quoted as the regu-
lating standard.