270 THE SHEEP OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Since the first edition appeared, lamb classes have been intro- 

 duced at Sinithfield, in consequence of remarkable exhibits of 

 Hampshire lambs as extra stock. So far the greatest excellence 

 and the earliest maturity has been about equally shared, by the 

 Hampshire and the cross-bred lambs — of which the Hampshire 

 and Cotswold first cross have proved most successful. Mr. W. 

 Parsons of West Stratton, near Micheldever, in an interesting 

 paper read at the London Farmers Club, Nov. 1884, gives 

 statistics as to the comparative weight and numbers of lambs 

 and shearlings, shown at Islington — he divides the nine years 

 from 1875 to 1883, inclusive, into three periods. In the first, 

 1875 to 1877, there were 76 pens of lambs which, at 9 months 

 1 week, averaged 4cwt. Iqr. 161b., whilst 187 pens of wether 

 sheep, 21 months old, averaged 6cwt. 3qr. 21b. For 1878 to 

 1880, entries of lambs had increased to 90 ; age same ; 

 average weight 4cwt. Iqr. 171b ; whilst 187 pens of wethers, 

 give an average of 6c wt. 2qr. 271b. In the third and last 

 cycle, 1881 to 1883, the pens of lambs had increased to 162, 

 yielding 4cwt. 2qr. 121b. average weight ; whilst 204 pens of 

 wethers averaged 6cwt. 3qr. 51b., and thus, as Mr. Parsons 

 points out, whilst the wethers showed no material advance, the 

 lambs under a year old had gained 241b, live weight, and the 

 number of entries had more than doubled. Mr. Parsons states 

 that the most striking instance of success in early feeding in 

 his experience relates to 200 lambs belonging to Mr. G. Judd, 

 of Barton Stacy, Micheldever. These lambs were shown at 

 Winchester Fair on Oct. 23, 1882, in two lots, and besides 

 taking 701. prizes, were sold within a fraction of 845. a head. 

 These lambs were born in January or early in February, and 

 were weaned as soon as the water meadows were fed off — about 

 May 13. They were fed on tares, sainfoin, and oilcake till July, 

 when rape took the place of tares, and the amount of cake was 

 gradually increased, until the daily allowance reached about 

 IJlb. oilcake with Jib. of split beans, and, during the last six 

 weeks immediately preceding the show, turnips were substituted 

 for rape. The average weight of the 200 lambs was supposed 

 to be fully 12st. or 961b. Mr. Judd states that his system of 

 feeding young lambs is not quite in accordance with the 

 modern idea of pushing them on as fast as jDOssible from birth. 



