THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



167 



THE HOLME PIERREPONT RAM LETTING. 



The annual show and letting of pure Leicester ratas at 

 Holme Pierrepont took place on July 17th, and was nume- 

 rously attended ; many of the principal flocks in tbe kiugdoin 

 having representatives present to obtain such animals as might 

 be deemed moat suitable for maintaining the purity of their 

 breed. The pre-eminent position which Mr. Sanday has ob- 

 tained for Leicester sheep has become a household word 

 amongst agriculturists of all nations; but this success has 

 been the result of the most careful attention and study, and a 

 cost regardless in amount. At the meeting at Canterbury, 

 last week (equally with the one at Warwick in 1859), of tjie 

 Royal Agricultural Society of England, he took all the prizes 

 offered for rams, and the only pen he sent of shearling ewes 

 obtained the first prize, the second being taken by Lieut.-Col. 

 Inge, who uses Mr. Sauday's ram?. The early part of the fore- 

 noon was spent in a careful examination of the lots offered for 

 competition, and it was at once apparent that the lato severe 

 winter and spring had been much against that favourable de- 

 velopment of condition which, under other circumstances, 

 would have shown itself. So far as their quality was con- 

 cerned no fault could be found. Every sheep had a most mag- 

 nificent skin ; and now that such wool is worth near upon 2s. 

 per lb., this is a most important consideration. Although the 

 present owner of this flock may date his high fame from the 

 extensive purchase he made at Mr. Burgess's sale at Cot- 

 grave some thirteen years ago, its foundation may be said to 

 have been laid many yeara since, during the lifetime of Mr. 

 Ssnday's father, who was one of the most spirited agricul- 

 turists of Nottinghamshire, and gave large sums for sheep, on 

 one occasion expending no less then 100 guineas in the pur- 

 chase of a ram. There were sixty-three lots, viz., 26 shear- 

 lings, 20 two-shears, 10 three-shears, 4 five-shears, and 3 five- 

 shertrs. Of these, 42 were disposed of by public competition, 

 and most of the remaining 20 were afterwards let by private 

 agreement upin more favourable terms to the owner. In the 

 shearlings were included the second and third prize sheep at 

 Warwick, the first being reserved for home use. At about 

 halt-past twelve o'clock the company were invited to luncheon, 

 at the conclusion of which Mr. Sanday proposed " The 

 Queen ;" and Mr. S. Umbers, of Wappenbury, Warwick- 

 shire, the health of Mr. Sanday, who, in returning thanks, 

 said it was a matter of regret that the ?heep were not in such 

 condition as they were last year, but the reason was well- 

 known to them. Such a state of things was, however, always 

 more in favo;;r of the hirer than in his, aud the jams were of 

 the same quality and breed. He might add, that perceiving 

 there wci-e several strangers present, he would assure them 

 that they would find hiia as liberal as heretofore, aud in the 

 event of anything going wrong with the sheep they might 

 take, he should be ready and happy to meet them in a liberal 

 and equitable manner. 



Mr. H. Strafford, of Euaton-square, Loudon, who officiated 

 as auctioneer, stated the usual terms upon which the sheep 

 were let. Tiii'a last lot in each class would be taken first, and 

 80 proccfding upwards. As in former years, each would be 

 put up at £10 lOs., and if there were no bid they would be 

 turned back. The following is the result of the biddings, with 

 the name of (he hirers :— 



No, SHEARLINGS. Gs. 



2. Mr. Somorville, for Lieut.-Col. Inge, Thorpe Consfantine 10 

 4. Mr. Henry Mann, Lutterworth , 10 



6. Mr. Hind, Gonclston 10 



7. Lieut.-Col. Pciin.mt, Penryhn Castle, Bangor 10 



9. Mr. Wright, for Lord Carrington 12 



10. Mr. Cobb, Walton, Warwick 10 



12. Mr. Stamper, Kunnington, Oswaldkirk 10 



13. Mr. Wood, Stanwick Park, Darlington 18 



U. Mr. G. Mann, 8cawsby Hall 16 



15. Lieut.-Col. Prnnant 14 



10. Mr. Biddle, Walton .. , 18 



17. Mr. H. Mann, Luttf rworth 21 



18. Mr. Hurlston, Heaihcote Farm, Waspertou 35 



19. Mr. G. Shaw, Hunsbury Hill, Northampton 43 



20. Mr. J. Mar.u, Stragglftliorpe , 12 



21. Mr. Wedge, FernhUl, Newport, Salop 31 



22. Mr. J. Trcraaino, Trevarton, Cornwall.. .. ..IS.. .. ... 31 



23. (Third prize shetp at Canterbury) Mr. Owen, Blessing- 



ton, Wicklow • ' ^'i 



24. Mr. J. Hall, Scorbro', Beverley 45 



25. (Second prizd sheep ;jt Canterbury) Mr. Thunder, Kings- 



ton L^dge, Navan , Ill 



26. Mr. J. Hall, Scorbro' 45 



TWO SHEARS. 



3. Mr. Hind, Gonclston 10 



6. Mr. Stamper, Nunnington » 13 



7. Mr. S. Umbers, Wappenbury, Leamington !•'> 



10. Mr. J. Hall, Scorbro' 14 



U. Mr. Slater, Brigg 13 



12. Mr. G. Mann, Scawsby Hall 10 



13. Mr. Marshall, Cotgrave 12 



14. Mr. Sonley, Lund Court, Kirbymoorside 25 



15. Mr. J. Singleton, Girendale ,........• 30 



16. Mr. J. Hall, Scorbro' 12 



17. Ditto 23 



18. Mr. Wed-e, Fcrnhill, Salop 40 



19. (Third prize sheep at Canterbury) Mr. Mead, Ballymartle, 



Kinsale, Ireland ^1 



20. Mr. Dixon, Brandesburton, Bridlington 21 



THPvEE SHEARS. 



7. Mr. G. Turner, Barton, Devonshire 30 



8. Lieut.-Col. Inge, Thorpe Constantine 10 



9. Mr. James Freeston, Frithlingborough, Higham Ferrers. 10 

 10. Ditto 12 



FOUR SHEARS. 



2. M.-. J. Hall, Scorbro' 10 



4. (First prize at Canterbury, and to be retained at Holme 



Pierrepont until the 10th of October) Mr. Clarke, 



Scopwick 70 



FIVE SHEARS. 



3. Mr. Marris, Chase, Lincolnshire 10 



The general result of the letting will be thus seen to be — 



21 shearlings .. 



14 two-shears .. 

 4 three-shears 

 2 four-shears . 

 1 five- shear .. 



42 



£ s. 

 693 5 

 334 19 

 65 a 

 84 

 10 10 



d. & s. d. 



bsing an average of 28 5 



„ „ 23 H 6 



„ „ lO 5 « 



„ „ 42 



„ „ 10 10 



£1087 16 



£25 18 



There can be no question that high as this aversge is — and 

 which exceeds Mr. Jonas Webb's Southdowns by £2 173. — it 

 would have bsen considerably higher but for the circumstances 

 alluded to by Mr. Sanday. Mr. Geo. Mann, of Scawsby Hali, 

 obtained a first-class shearling — a combination of wool and 

 mutton which will maintain the character of his well-known 

 flock. The highest-priced ram was taken by Mr. Thunder, a 

 gentleman pre-eminent for his endeavours to improve tbe 

 breed of sheep in Ireland, aud who last year had the same 

 honour by hiring the best shearling at 90 guineas. This year 

 he met with a stronger competition, and his principal oppo- 

 nent was a countryman — Mr. Owen, who lives in the adjoin- 

 ing county of Wicklow. For this magnificent sheep 20 guinea'i 

 was first bid, and this sum was presently increased to 70 gs. ; 

 after which Mr. Thunder and Mr. Owen had the race to them- 

 selves, the former winning, in racing phraseology, by a head — 

 advancing one guinea ov«r Mr. Owen's offer of 110 guineas. 

 Mr. Mead, another gentleman from the Sister Isle, gave 81 gs. 

 for the 3rd prize all-aged ram at Canterbury. It speaka 

 much to Mr. Sanday 's praise that year after year the same 

 breeders hire his sheep ; and the liberality which characterizes 

 all his transactions are fully appreciated by those who have 

 known him the longest. 



SALE OF MR. J. R. NEATE'S HAMPSHIRE 

 DOWNS. — The first annual sale of a portion of the Hamp- 

 shire down flock of Mr. J. R. Neate took place at Northington 

 farm, on Friday the 13th July. The sale was conducted by Mr. 

 F. Ellen, of Andover. There was a pretty good attendance, 

 but much less than there would have been had not many been 

 detained at home taking advantage of the fine weather in se- 

 curing the hay. Buyers, however, were present from Wilts, 



