LEICESTERSHIRE 21 DIRECTORY..

5 miles; Hinckley, 12 miles; , 12 miles; and Gopsall, 16 miles: to ,s miles; Bardon Hill, 10 mhes; Ashby, I7 miles; and Burton, 25 miles: to Mountsorrel, 7 miles; Nottingham, 25 miles; Loughborough, J 2 miles; Kegworth, 18 miles; Castle Donington, 20 miles; and Derby 28 miles.

The world-wide reputation of , as a stock-breeding district, warrants the Editor in here introducing an account of the origin and extension of that pursuit among its graziers during the last century, as an appropriate pendant to the foregoing description :- Leicestershire has just claims to be considered the classic ground of , or indeed of the world at large, in the matter of breeding live stock, as it was on its pastures that breeding first became a science. It is now nearly 130 years since the names of eminent agriculturists became "household words" 'lS improvers of domestic animals, by the great attention and care they bestowed in producing breeds calculated to pay the most money fot the food consumed. It may be that other counties have now eclipsed this in the science, and that other breeds 01 animals have taken the front rank as the fashion of the day, as tbe great meat and milk producers for the millions of this country; but the fact remains that the breeders of Leicestershire set an example which has since been more or less followed, not only by every county in England, but by all parts of the civilized world. Our K ational and Continental Stock Shows prove how wonderfully successful breeding is now pursued in every clime. Robert Bakewell, of Dishley­ Grange, near Loughborough, whose ancestors lived there for generations before him, was the great leader in this work. He was born in 1726, and died in 1795, having spent the whole of his life on his native soil, pursuing his favourite study of breeding, whose labours all now admit made him a benefactor to his country. Men who have spent their lives in war are thought worthy of having their names inscribed on marble and brass in our great cathedrals, but Bakewell, who spent his life in works of peaceful industry, lies buried in the little dilapidated Church at Dishley, without any suitable monument to his memory. Arthur Y ()ung, the great writer of a hundred years ago on all agricultural topics, was a friend of Bakewell ; and noblemen and gentlemen from all parts of the kingdom came for instruction to Dishley, and owing to the great hospitality there dispensed, and the influences of a master mind directing all the arrangements, the Grange was known far and wide, and called the "best inn on the road"­ everyone being treated in a princely style. Bakewell selected Longhorns as the breed of cattle he most admired, and he lived and died believing this breed would produce the "roast beef of Old England" for all time. His success as a breeder of these animals will, indeed, ever shed a halo around his name. It has been thought that Bakewell's theory of breeding from small-boned animals was a mistake, but his reason for it was that he considered them of hardier constitution, and more calculated to fatten than larger framed stock. Experience has now, however, proved that unless animals have plenty of bone and muscle, especially in the male, they are apt to degenerate in si2e' and constitution. However, Bakewell was remarkably successful, and uni,>ersally 10(.Jked upon as the great ag:r:i.J­ cultural pioneer of his age; being very particular in the sires he used, and which he seldom sold, but let them out at high prices for the season. He refused £200 for his celebrated bull "Twopenny," and one cow, named "Old Comely," lived to the age o[ 26 years; being highly valued as the mother of some of the best cattle. When killed, the fat on her sirloin was four inches in thickness. When Bakewell gave up farming, the stock was valued to Mr. Honeybourne (his nephew) at high prices; but as there was no public sale, it can only be a matter of conjecture what they would have realized had they been brought before the public. The Longhorns were the natural breed of this county during the past and the early part of this century. Pitt, in his report on live stock in 1809, states such to be the fact; but about 50 years ago the Shorthorns became formidable rivals, and have now to a very great extent taken their places. If possible, Bakewell was more successful as a breeder of sheep than cattle. Pitt divides the sheep into three classes, viz., the " Forest" sheep, the "Old Leicesters," and the "New Leiccsters" ; and the latter are the breed Bakewell established. Arthur Young describes Bakewell's sheep about the year 1785, as follows:­ "Their bodiei are as tme barrels as could be seen, ronr,d broad backs, and the legs not above six inches long, and a most unusual proof of their kindly fattening is their feeling fat just within their forelegs on the ribs-a point ",here common breeds never carry fat. No land is too bad for a good breed of sheep like these to feed upon, for a good and true form of symmetry in steep is the strongest indication of theu hardirress and aptitude to fatten, and these kind will live on the poor soils where the old. breeds will not." The first ram which Bakewell ever let he drove to Fair himself, and only obtained sixteen shIllings [or the season, and in the year 1760 his rams only made two to three guineas each to sell, and from fifteen to twenty-one shillin~s to let for the season. A t one time wool was so low in price that Bakewell sold his for nine shillings per tod of 28 lbs. In a few years, hQwever, his fame spread, and in 1770 he let rams at 25 guineas each, and he lived to make as high as 800 guineas of one ram for the season-that sum having been realized for a sheep called "Twopoundel"; and in I'i90 he was believed to have made 3,000 guineas in one season of his rams. After Bakewell's death still higher prices were made of the" New Leicesters," by Mr. Buckley, of r,ormanton Hill, who let one ram [or 1,000 guineas, and others fOl'very large sums. A meeting was held at the "Three Crowns Hotel," Leicester, in 1790, when the" Dishley Society" was founded-Thomas Paget, Esq., of Ibstock, was the first President, when the following mles (amongst others) were passed by the sanction of 57 breeders, and amongst them were Dukes, Marquises, Lords, and Baronets, but they were certainly not in accordance ",-ith the views of either the public or the breeders of the present day :-No. 4, That strict secrecy be kept by all members; No. 5, No member to let a ram at fairs or markets; No. 8, No member to give his rams artificial food; No. 30, No member to show more than 24 rams; No. 37. No ram to be let to members of the Lincolnshire Society for less than 200 guineas; No. 41, No member to sell his ewes, except to kill, for less than 10 guineas. Robert Bakewell was also famed for his breed of horses, and sent one for the inspection of George Ill., which the King much admired, and gave the owner a very flattering reception. His entire horses were let out for the season for as llluch as ISO guineas each.