A Short History of English Agriculture Part 41

The Suffolk is derived from the old horned Norfolk ewe mated with the Southdown, and was first granted its name in 1859.

The Ryeland is a small, hornless, white-faced breed which has been in Herefords.h.i.+re for centuries, but of late years has dwindled in numbers before the advent of the Shrops.h.i.+re.

The Somerset and Dorset Horned is another old breed, preserved in a pure state, much improved in modern times, and very hardy.

The Clun Forest breed of West Shrops.h.i.+re and the adjacent parts of Wales is a mixture of the Ryeland, Shrops.h.i.+re, and Welsh breeds.

3. The Cheviot is found on both sides of the hills of that name, though Northumberland is said to be its original home, and it was improved in the eighteenth century by crossing with the Lincoln.

The Blackfaced Mountain breed is found chiefly in Scotland, but thrives on the bleak grazing lands of the north of England.

The Herdwicks' home is the hills of c.u.mberland and Westmoreland, where they are hardy enough to fatten on the poor, thin pasture.

The Lonk is the largest mountain breed, belonging to the fells of Yorks.h.i.+re and Lancas.h.i.+re.

The Dartmoors and Exmoors almost certainly came from one stock, though the former are now the larger, and are the few real survivors of the old forest or mountain breeds of England. The Exmoor is horned, the Dartmoor hornless.

The Welsh Mountain is a small, hardy, soft-woolled breed, their mutton having the best flavour of any sheep, and their wool making the famous Welsh flannel.

The Limestone is little known outside the fells of Westmoreland.

PIGS

Our pigs may be roughly divided into white, black, and red; the first comprising the Large, Middle, and Small Whites, formerly called Yorks.h.i.+res; the second the Small Black (Suffolk or Ess.e.x), the Large Black only recently recognized, but apparently very ancient, and the Berks.h.i.+re, which often has white marks on face, legs, or tail. The red is the Tamworth, one of the oldest breeds, its skin being red with dark spots.

FOOTNOTES:

[734] Youatt, _Complete Grazier_ (1900), p. 388; cf. pp. 104-5.

[735] Youatt, _Complete Grazier_ (1900), p. 6.

[736] See above.

[737] _Rural Economy of West of England_, i. 235 cf. above, p. 235.

[738] See above.

[739] ii. 126; about 1770.

[740] Youatt, _Complete Grazier_, p. 18, and see 'Druid', _Saddle and Sirloin_.

[741] Cf. supra, p. 167.

[742] _Culley on Live Stock_ (1807), p. 42.

[743] See p. 233.

[744] Much of these accounts of Herefords and Devons is from the author's articles in the _Victoria County History_.

[745] See above.

[746] Risdon, _Survey_ (1810), Introd. p. viii.

[747] _Rural Economy of West of England_, i. 235. Risdon says of Devons.h.i.+re: 'As to cattle, no part of the Kingdom is better supplied with beasts of all sorts, whether for profit or pleasure,' those for pleasure being apparently wild ones kept in parks.--Chapple's _Review of Risdon's Survey_, p. 23.

[748] _R.A.S.E. Journal_ (1st ser.), xi. 680. See also ibid. xix. 368, and (2nd ser.) v. 107; xiv. 663; xx. 691.

[749] _History of Devon_, i. 456.

[750] _R.A.S.E. Journal_ (3rd ser.), i. 527.

[751] See above.

[752] _Northern Tour_, ii. 126.

[753] _R.A.S.E. Journal_ (1858), p. 42.

APPENDIX I

AVERAGE PRICES FROM 1259 TO 1700[754]

CORN PER QUARTER.

WHEAT. BARLEY. OATS.

1259-1400 5s. 10-3/4d. 4s. 3-3/4d. 2s. 5-3/4d.

1401-1540 5s. 11-3/4d. 3s. 8-3/4d. 2s. 2-1/4d.

1541-82 13s. 10-1/2d. 8s. 5-3/4d. 5s. 5-1/2d.

1583-1700 39s. 0-1/2d. 21s. 4d. 13s. 10d.

RYE. BEANS.

1259-1400 4s. 4-7/8d. 4s. 3-1/2d.

1401-1540 4s. 7-3/4d. 3s. 9-1/4d.

1541-82 -- 9s. 1-1/2d.

1583-1700 -- 22s. 3-1/4d.

LIVE STOCK.

OXEN. COWS. CART HORSES.[755]

1259-1400 13s. 1-1/4d. 9s. 5d. 16s. 4d.