LECTURE XLIX. 



SHROPSHIRES. 



Origin, History, and Development. 



The original home of these sheep is in Shropshire County, 

 in central west England, where they were long known as the 

 Morfe Common sheep. Reference is made in regard to their 

 wool as far back as 1343. Plymly, writing the history of 

 Shropshire agriculture in 1803, describes the sheep as follows: 

 "There is a breed of sheep on the Longmynd with horns and 

 black faces that seem an indigenous sort. They are nimble, 

 hardy and weigh nearly 10 pounds per quarter when fatted. 

 The fleeces upon the average may yield 2y 2 pounds." In 1792 

 Wilson quotes from the report of the British Wool Society in 

 regard to the Morfe Common sheep thus: "On Morfe Com- 

 mon, near Bridgenorth, there are about 10,000 sheep kept 

 during the summer months, which produce wool of a superior 

 quality. They are considered a native breed; are black faced 

 or brown or spotted faced, horned sheep, little subject to rot 

 or scab." 



The sheep thus described are supposed to have been the 

 original Shropshire sheep, and it was on them that the im- 

 provements were effected. The Shropshire of today is not 

 a pure breed in the same sense as is the Southdown, as we 

 shall presently see, although we do consider it a distinct breed 

 of sheep. 



Upon these small, light bodied, light fleeced sheep South- 

 down rams were used to rid them of horns and still keep the 

 dark faces and legs. From this cross was obtained a horn- 



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