1803.] On the Breed of Sheep. 305 and ten months vld. Nothing* is Stated with reSpect to the condition of the five latter Sorts; but Mr. Billingsley particu- larly notices that of the Leicesters in theze words,“ they were “* Sent in high condition, and had from their appearance been << well kept." Now, Sir, will any man of judgment, contend ““ that Sheep in this“ bigb condition" will make as much im- PYovement as if they were only three or four months old, or as Sheep in a comparatively lean state? I think he will not, and to be Satisfied that Such an opinion is just, we need only refer to the result of Mr. Billingsley's experiment. Mr. Bart- ley, however, it Seerns, 15 not correct in Saying that the Leices- ters“ were Zasf in the result of the trial;" for the gentlemen to whom ils examination was committed,“ gaye the preter- ence to the South Down, and after them to the others in the following order, viz. Glocezster, Leicester, Mendip, Wilts, and Dorzset."

Mr. Billingsley also Mu“ one of the Leicesters appeared by his coat to be unhea thy, and this was confirmed at his death by an.apparent defect in his lung3; and consequentiy Some allowance must be made for this eircumstahce. We were also told by the great breeders of the North, who attend- ed at the Society's annual meeting, when they were Slaugh« tered, that Mr. More had not done justice to his Country, for that the Sheep he zent were the worst of the kind they ever 5aw." This opinion of the Northern breeders Seems to be corroborated by the name given to the Sheep, by Mr. Bil- lingsley. He does not call them the vew Leicesters, bug merely the Leicesters; and I wigh to have it clearly undertood that 1 haye not contended for the o/d, but zhe ew and mot highly improved Leicesters, in my various letters to you.

In this experiment, which cCommenced in January 1792, none of the food consumed by the Sheep, was weighed, ex- Cept that from the Srd till he 10Oth of April; from the 24th to the 27th of June; and from the Ist to the Sth of December 5 and the ums paid by each Sort of Sheep, for forty-eight weeks are mentioned without a30y Calculation on the Quantities of food conszumed. Now, Sir, your readers will recollect that I have unifſorm!y maintained the Superiority of ihe new Leices- ters, because they convert a given quantity of food into the most money in a given SPpäce of time; and[ am ure they will agree with me that those Sheep that convert their food into the most money within a year and a h

alf, or two Years, are the most beneficial both to the farmer

and the public at | The Wiltshire, indeed], are represSented as<S a tall, bony, thin carcase- << ed gheep, fit to walk iwo or three miles to a fold, and to be kept till thiee

“* or four years old."<< They ate ravenvusty, ihcreascd greatly in 2ize and << weight, but did not fatten,""

Wwe dek.