LECTURE LXI. 



LINCOLNS. 



Origin, History, and Development. 



The Lincoln is another of the long-wooled breeds of English 

 sheep. It is at the present time, without doubt, the largest 

 known breed in the world. From its earliest history and even 

 at the present time it is noted for its large fleece of very long 

 wool. As a mutton sheep, too, so far as quantity is concerned, 

 it has few, if any, equals. 



A little more than a hundred years ago, according to Mil- 

 burn's description, the typical Lincoln sheep was as follows: 

 They had large, coarse carcasses, the length from head to tail 

 being, in some cases, 4 feet 7 inches. The ribs were flattish, 

 and not covered very thickly with flesh; the belly deep, and 

 the shoulders so forward as almost to hide the breast; the 

 neck thick and large, with a deep and flabby dewlap hanging 

 from it; the skin thick and the flesh often grained; the hind- 

 quarters full and fat, the tendency being to lay on fat at the 

 rump; and the legs fleshy and deep. The whole animal ap- 

 pears to be somewhat unshapely, but the valuable wool which 

 covers it hides all imperfections. 



This affords us quite a vivid picture of the Lincoln sheep 

 of a century ago, and gives us an idea of the foundation stock 

 upon which the breeders of that time had to build in order 

 to effect the improved type which exists today. 



The Lincoln sheep are natives of the low, rich pastures of 

 the fenland of Lincolnshire, in middle, eastern England. The 

 great improvements effected upon the Leicester breed by 

 Bakewell and his associates arrested the attention of the 

 Lincoln breeders; and it was with a desire to improve the 



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