802 On the Breed of Sheep.[May,

by patriotice motives, and as I have no doubt of the Superio- rity of Sheep from the Merino blood, over S0Ome of our native breeds, in certain Sityations, I must assume a new office, and "become the defender of these very fine woolled Sheep. At 'present, however, I Shall merely State tbatthe extravagant aud Andisoriminate praise which has been lately bestowed upon them, is not the most proper mode for establishing them in 'these Sitvations; at least it appears clearly to me, tbat Such Praise 50 repygnant to establiShed practice, must lead to “doubts which are highly imjurious to the breed. What opi- 'nions are universally entertained of a medicine which a quack doctor blazons and extols sv unreasonably as to asSert its ef Neacy in all disorders?

Mr. Bartley has misunderstood my observätion relative to the disposition to take on fat. 1 did not Say that the Leicester Sheep would weigh Six times the weight of the Anglo Me- rinos; but merely that the covering of that Substance would be in the proportion of Six t&ö one in favour of the former Sheep. I

The weight of the Jambs he, mentions, at eight months old, (nine pound per quarter) is far below Watof the new Leicestey Jambs when fed for the butcher, or even that of lambs from a 'Cros3 between Cheviot ewes and Leicester rams, which(at 4hat age) is oſten twelve to fourteen pounds per quarter.

The importance of a thick covering of fat, Seems to be overlooked by the advocates ſor the Spanish breed. They Should, however, conszider the circumstances ofthe great body 'of consumers, and not merely tbe taste of opulent people, It they would pay proper attention to he conduct of the lower classes, they would be convinced tbat these people al- ways prefer the fattest mutton even at an Increase of price; because it not only affords an excellent substitute for butter "(at balf the price of that article), but a much greater quantity of human food; including broth, which is bighly valued in

poor tamilies.

- If the pitmen in the neighbourhood of Bath do not pre- fer the fattest mutton, their conduct differs from that of the Same glass in almost every other part'of the kingdom. The Pitmen, coal-heavers, keelmen, Sailors,&c. on the Tyne and tbe Wear, are Strong, hardy and laborious; and most of them are not only famcus in the“annals of pugilism," but in tbe-glorious deeds of the Britieh navy. Our naval oflicers Cconcur in stating that these northern herves Stand foremost in those brave and skilfulexertions by which they are enabled to waft the British fag in trinmph in every Seca upon the face of the globe, and these brave fellows always prefer the very fat»