SHEEP. 293 



But it is not to the cross alone that we must give all the credit, or by this time there 

 would have been no Lincolns, as they would have merged into Leicesters; but the greater 

 credit is due those breeders who had the sagacity to use the cross in such a manner as to 

 retain all the good qualities of the old Lincoln, and only absorb or make use of such as were 

 desirable for their purpose from the Leicester, without destroying the original type and 

 introducing certain traits which would have been of no use, but certainly detrimental. It 

 may be stated that one of the main objects to be kept steadily in view by these improvers 

 was to establish a breed having the fine-feeding and early-maturing propensity of the 

 Leicester, so as to suit the wants of the wold and heath farmers, who, owing to the 

 nature of their occupancy, must have sheep to go off at about twelve or fourteen months 

 old, and at the same time retain the strong constitution and vigor of the old Lincoln, so as to 

 suit the purposes of the marsh and fen farmers. To these must be added the adaptability of 

 being kept in large flocks, and quickly maturing under ordinary farm management; lastly, 

 to retain their powers of growing heavy fleeces of fine-lustred wool. As to early maturity, at 

 the Smithfield Club Fat Cattle Show the Lincolns are the heaviest sheep exhibited. In 1870 

 the prize pen of three wethers about twenty-two months old averaged 328 Ibs. each; the next 

 heaviest were Cotswolds, 307 Ibs. each. In 1871 the pen of Lincoln wethers not only took 

 first in their class, but also the 20 cup for best pen of long-wooled sheep, and the 50 

 champion plate as best of any age or breed in the show, weighing twenty-three pounds per 

 head more than the first-prize Cotswolds. Mr. Byron s prize pen of ewes averaged 346 Ibs. 

 each. In 1872 the Lincolns again won first prize for best pen of wethers in long-wool 

 classes, averaging 312 Ibs. each; the first-prize Cotswold weighing 289 Ibs. and Leicesters 

 236 Ibs., while Mr. Pears first-prize pen of ewes averaged 322 Ibs. At the last Smithfield 

 show the Lincoln ewes were the heaviest sheep exhibited. But a better proof of their early 

 maturity may be seen at the Lincoln April Fair, where from 60,000 to 100,000 sheep are 

 annually penned for sale on Friday, mostly hoggets, as they are termed, from twelve to 

 fourteen months old (a term applied to a sheep after it has passed its first year). They are 

 brought there for sale by the heath and wold farmers, and sold in their wool. Many of them 

 are purchased by the graziers in various parts of the country, but most are bought by the 

 marsh and fen farmers, who, owing to the nature of their farms, cannot keep a breeding 

 flock. We have known whole flocks of the hoggets to clip eleven pounds washed wool, 

 and average 100 Ibs. dressed mutton. 



Mr. Robert Smith, in his report of the Royal Show, at Marwick, describing the Lincolns, 

 states that he has known fourteen months old lambs averaging 35 Ibs. per quarter (140 Ibs. 

 dressed mutton), and a hundred together clipping 14 Ibs. washed wool each. 



Mr. T. Marshall reserved for use in his flock three shearling rams of his own breeding, 

 which averaged 317 Ibs. each, the heaviest weighing 334 Ibs. 



Again, Mr. Chas. Howard says: Mr. Dawson killed a three-shear sheep weighing 96 

 Ibs. per quarter (386 Ibs. of mutton), a two-shear weighing 91 Ibs., and a shearling 71 Ibs. 

 per quarter. 



Many more instances might be quoted of their early maturity, but these excessive 

 weights are often secured regardless of expense, and merely as a matter of boasting. But 

 such is not the case at Lincoln April Fair; the sheep there seen are all penned by farmers 

 who have to pay their rents out of their flocks, and it is with them an actual matter of 

 dollars and cents. 



That they are a healthy, vigorous breed may be gathered from the fact that a portion 

 of their native country (the marshes and fens) is very wet and low lying, having been 

 reclaimed from the sea. Some portions of this reclaimed land are sixteen feet below the 

 level of the sea, and yet these sheep are grazed here in immense numbers, and some of the 

 finest specimens we have ever seen were on these wet soils. In a lecture on long-wooled 

 VOL. II. 17 



