THE LINCOLN 583 



produced." Low deplores the fact that refinement was 

 introduced by crossing, rather than by applying Bakewell's 

 methods within the breed itself. Probably many of the 

 disadvantages proceeding from crossing have since been 

 eliminated by selection, as there is no long-wool breed in the 

 country which can produce anything like the same quantity 

 or quality of long, strong, lustrous wool as the Lincoln. 

 The staple 1 of well-bred tegs should be about as broad as 

 two of a man's fingers. It is its power of wool-production 

 and great size which have brought it into high repute in 

 sheep-rearing countries abroad, although it is admitted that 

 the mutton is only of second-rate quality. 



The export record of the breed during I9o6 2 beats all 

 previous records of the Lincoln or any other breed in this 

 country. For the year ending 3<Dth September 1906, certifi- 

 cates were issued by the Lincoln Long-wool Sheep Breeders' 

 Association for 3674 rams, 1614 shearling ewes, 339 ram 

 lambs, and 333 ewe lambs ; or a total of 5960, an increase of 

 1758 over the previous year's total. Another important 

 incident in the history of Lincoln sheep was the sale of 

 the entire flock (950 animals) of Robert and William Wright, 

 of Nocton Heath, Lincoln, through F. Miller, of Birkenhead, 

 to Senor Manuel Cobo, of Buenos Aires, for, it is believed, 

 the sum of ^"30,000. The flock was founded in 1790, and 

 it had been one of the most prominent flocks, winning prizes 

 at shows and bringing high prices for rams for export. As 

 the Board of Agriculture Returns for June 1906 showed a 

 total of 993,983 sheep in Lincolnshire, or an increase of 

 10,146 over the figures of the previous year, the breed is too 

 largely represented in this country to materially suffer 

 from this loss. The same purchaser secured the Royal 

 Champion Shearling Lincoln ram, " Riby Derby Champion," 

 for the record price of 1450 guineas, at Henry Budding's 

 annual sale. The prices paid at that sale show the value 

 attached to the best Lincoln blood when offered by public 

 auction. Fifty-six rams averaged 151, is. 9d., and 23 ewes 

 16, 175. 4d., or a total of ^8848, 175. 6d. for 79 sheep. The 



1 The word staple here refers to the natural locks, consisting of many 

 fibres of wool arranged naturally in bundles, but it is also sometimes 

 wrongly used with reference to a single fibre. 



2 See the Live Stock Journal Almanac for 1907. 



