"THE
FOSCOTE FLOCK
PURELY DESCENDED FROM WHAT THE
LATE ROBERT BAKEWELL
NAMED THE
"NEW LEICESTER."
These sheep have been bred on one Farm for 70 years, without a cross, from Bakewell's original stock. They are reared entirely in a natural state, and are never allowed the slightest indulgence in the shape of Oil Cake or Corn of any kind. As an instance of their hardihood, and of their ability to thrive on a small quantity of food, I may state that 71 (of which these were included) were wintered for 25 weeks on 4 Acres of common Turnips, with a small quantity of Hay daily : the lodging was very indifferent. I believe that on a fair calculation of the cost per head, the Turnips realised considerably more than they were worth to sell, or to consume with an ordinary flock of Sheep. I exhibit them at the request of many of my friends and customers, bareshorn, that the public mat have every opportunity of seeing what they really are, without having undergone the deceptive process of clipping into form ; and believing that ROBERT BAKEWELL had, by careful study of the subject, arrived at a clear perception of the principles of breeding, and also believing that these Sheep have been bred and reared in accordance with those principles for many years, I beg leave to solicit a careful examination of them, and of the whole flock, feeling confident that an inspection of them will convince any one that close breeding does not necessarily induce degeneracy.
VALENTINE BARFORD
FOSCOTE, NEAR TOWCESTER, JULY 1860
