SHROPSHIRE SHEEP. 345 



The Messrs. J. and E. Crane, of Shrawardine, Shrewsbury, 

 followed closely in the steps of Mr. Adney, and for a series 

 of years, dating from the Chester meeting in 1858 to that 

 of Worcester in 1863, they were never out of the prize list, 

 securing their chief honours with ewes, for the quality and 

 character of which the flock was then justly celebrated; and 

 several first and second prizes, besides commendations, have 

 been obtained since that date. One of the brothers died 

 several years since, and the survivor has reached the average 

 span. We visited the farm in 1864. Mr. James Crane then 

 resided at Shrawardine, on a fine farm of 410 acres, with a 

 considerable portion of good meadow on the banks of the 

 Severn. At that time it was evident that, for some reason 

 or other, the flock was not quite in its right place, and judging 

 from appearances, we thought the error might have been in too 

 close breeding. The ewes, though uniform in colour and 

 character, and of much substance, wanted symmetry, and neither 

 showed well walking or standing; the legs were too much 

 under, the loins rather high and the rumps low. The means 

 that were adopted to correct these defects appeared to us 

 judicious — viz., by the use of Mr. Coxon's Nobleman, a grand 

 old sheep, noticeably deep forward and thick through the heart. 

 He was by a grandson of Patentee by Patent. The lambs by 

 Nobleman were very promising. In 1864 they secured a fine 

 three- shear, Lot 1 of Mr. Thornton's, sire of the shearling 

 which took the first prize at Newcastle, noticeable for length, 

 beautiful head, and general symmetry ; he was bred by Mr. 

 Claridge, and was got by one of Messrs. Crane's rams. The 

 averages made by rams and ewes at the August and September 

 Shrewsbury sales have always been high, and sufiiciently attest 

 the reputation in which these sheep are held. 



The flock is now carried on by Messrs. Crane and Tanner, and 

 maintains its high reputation. 



We may here pause for a moment to notice as a fact that the 

 Shopshire breeders were the first to inaugurate the convenient 

 practice of selling their draft ewes by auction — a practice which 

 gave opportunities to outsiders, and helped to extend the 

 influence of the breed, at the same time that it insured much 

 larger prices than had previously been made by private sale. 



