treatment, with less exposure of the sheep, would be an excellent substitute for salving, indeed render such a practice totally unnecessary. The most approved salve appears to consist of a mixture of one pound of tar, with four pounds of butter, which serves twelve sheep. Tallow and train-oil have been often used for cheapness sake, but the one is said to impede perspiration by matting the wool, and the other spoils its colour. Some persons still adhere to the old practice of WASHING and ANOINTING the sheep after shearing, with the view of preventing cold, killing vermin, and promoting the growth of wool. Some use salt and water, others oil and warm water. The following form stands recommended in all the above intentions, and is by no means irrational, where the expense and trouble are disregarded; the former would amount to about three pence each sheep. Four quarts of butter-milk, two pounds melted butter, two pounds tar, and one quart of tobacco-water, in which is contained the strength of half a pound of tobacco-dust extracted by boiling; two pounds of salt; mix, and anoint the sheep all over as soon as shorn. The quantity will suffice twenty large sheep. It has been observed, that sheep of all qualities are indifferently horned or hornless, the latter species being most numerous; the most consequential distinctions of the races are, into the LONG, SHORT, and MIDDLE-WOOLLED, or those with COARSE, OPEN-GRAINED, and FINE CLOSE-GRAINED FLESH. There are also subdivisions of FINE and COARSE both in the long and short wool, particularly in the HEATH and FOREST sheep. The fine COTTONY wool seems peculiar to a small breed in the Shetland Islands, which have been aptly enough called the Beaver sheep. A few additions and alterations being made in the CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF BRITISH SHEEP. of the various permanent breeds of sheep upon this will form a concise, and sufficiently particular view well-known synopsis of Mr. Culley, the following island. No. 1 Teeswater No horns...... White face and legs. Long wool. 9lb. 18. O Age 30lb. 2 years 2 Lincoln... Do.. 3 New Leicester.. Do. Do..... Do....... 25 2 Do. (fine) 4 Cotswold... Do. Do... Do. do.... I now beg leave to submit a few practical observations to the correction of my experienced and improving readers. The Tees-water breed I have never seen; in fact it is so nearly worn out of fashion, that I presume it would be a matter of extreme difficulty to procure any genuine individuals, were the thing desirable, which it is not on any account I am aware of, unless the property in the breed of double and even treble produce. I have heard there is a similar breed in Ireland, both derived from Batavian or Friezland stock, which came originally from India, probably from Thibet, or possessing some of that blood. Mr. Culley's description of these sheep is, that their wool is neither so long nor heavy as that of the Lincolns, but they have higher and finer boned legs, thicker, firmer, and heavier carcases, are much wider on the back and sides, fatter, and the mutton finer grained. A genuine old Teeswater, bred at Stockton, was killed at Darlington at Christmas 1779, the four quarters of which weighed 17 stone 11lb. at 14lb. to the stone, or 31 stone llb. London weight, having 17lb. of tallow, after leaving all they could in the loins. The LINCOLNS are now so generally improved by new Leicester tups, that they are, probably, in a great measure, free from those defects of the old breed, of which Mr. Culley, with much reason, complained, namely, slow feeding from a looseness of form, and too much bone, and coarse grained flesh. It must not, however, be denied, that a good old Lincoln has ever been, and the name, at least, still continues, a great favourite at Smithfield, and the flavour of the Lincoln mutton has been generally held superior, as more savoury than the Dishley. The improved Lincolns have now finer bone, with broad loins and truss carcase, and are among the best, if not actually the best long woolled stock we have. Many will recollect the ridiculous and indecorous squabble, some years ago, between two eminent breeders, concerning these two breeds of sheep. About that time, they attempted to feed Lincoln sheep on the Essex marshes, and pretended the stock degenerated, which might happen from insufficiency of winter keep, or if they were breeding flocks, from crossing with other breeds, an everlasting and unregarded practice in those not professedly breeding counties. NEW LEICESTER OR DISHLEY, so called from the farm, in Leicestershire, of that first of all cattle improvers, Robert Bakewell, whose name and example merit everlasting remembrance, on another account, that of humanity, and the kindest attention to brute animals, in the diligent practice of which virtue, no man ever excelled him. All his cattle were trained to such a height of gentleness and docility by patient and rational treatment, that his largest bulls would suffer themselves to be led by a child, with a twine thread; and I have heard it averred, that one of his labouring bulls was in the constant habit of dragging a cart, by himself, without a driver, to a brewhouse two miles distant, returning home with a load of grains. I formerly gave the best sketch, in my power, of the life and character of Bakewell, in a volume entitled NECROLOGY. Before Bakewell's time, all the midland county sheep, as well as the Lincolns, were of a form too coarse, loose, and irregular. Having acquired much experience in the different breeds by travel in this country, and by visiting the continent and Ireland, he determined to amend the defects of the cattle in his own neighbourhood. His well known fundamental principles, that "like produces like, that small bones, thin pelts, and the barrel shape, are soonest and most productive of fat, at the least expence of food," were most probably the original suggestions of his own understanding, for I know not, nor have been able to discover any other source whence he could derive them. That Bakewell's theory was generally well grounded, there can be no doubt, and his improvements have received the sanction of a success so widely extended, or rather universal, that nothing similar can be found, either in past or present experience. Doubtless, the object of grazing cattle is to make them fat, and to produce that effect with as much expedition as may be, hence the immense worth of the new form, either considered as to itself, or as a cross for the improvement of inferior forms: but minds, ardent in the pursuit of improvement or profit, are apt to carry their favourite ideas to the extreme point. In that shape, which assures the excessive proneness to fat, we lose flesh, quality of meat, and length of carcase; the last a consideration of high importance in respect to weight; and it has never been a doubt with me, that sheep with a somewhat larger bone and greater length and depth of carcase, than the pure Dishley, will produce a greater weight of mutton per acre, and of a better quality, as having more flesh and less fat. It seems preposterous to make fat the sole object in sheep, which are of a nature so prone to its production, and their flesh and juices so saturated with it, that jn the last stage of feeding, the mutton is without flavour, indeed scarcely eatable: and if it be killed half fat and unripe, it is, in that state, mawkish, loose, and inferior meat. Nor is that external fat which an animal takes on so hastily, equal, in solidity or goodness, with the fat of well tallowed animals. That fat meat, were it eaten, will go farther, and is more economical food than the best lean, I will allow; but |