78 



and adjoining districts. The majority are kept pure, but a consider- 

 able number of ewes are crossed with Down rams, chiefly Oxford, 

 Hampshire, Suffolk, and Shropshire. 



Value for Crossing. In spite of the mutton being not of the 

 first quality, the unequalled power of wool-production and large 

 size, weight, and symmetry of carcase have brought the breed into 

 the highest repute in sheep-rearing countries abroad, where it has 

 mated most successfully with Merino ewes to form a good general- 

 purpose sheep for both wool and mutton. Over 20 years ago a 

 breed of Lincoln-Merinos was formed in New Zealand, under the 

 name of the Corridale breed, by mating superior specimens of the 

 two breeds ; and an intermediate type has been subsequently fixed 

 by thorough elimination of undesirable forms. 



Export of Lincoln Sheep from Great Britain. Up to the present 

 the most notable year as regards the export of Lincoln sheep was 

 1906, when, for the year ending September 30th, certificates were 

 issued by the Lincoln Longwool Sheep Breeders' Association for 

 3,674 rams, 1,614 ewes, 339 ram lambs, and 333 ewe lambs, total 5,960, 

 an increase of 1,758 over the previous year's total. An important 

 event in the history of Lincoln sheep was the sale of the entire 

 flock (950 animals) of Messrs. R. and W. Wright, of Nocton 

 Heath, Lincoln, to Senor Manuel Cobo, of Buenos Aires, for 

 j30,000. The flock was founded in 1790, and was one of the 

 most famous in the country. The same purchaser secured the 

 Royal Champion Shearling Lincoln Ram, Riby Derby Champion, 

 for the record price of 1,450 guineas at Mr. Henry Dudding's Annual 

 Sale. The exports for 1908-9 were 1,184 rams, 239 ewes, 106 

 Tana lambs, 43 ewe lambs, distributed as follows : 669 to Buenos 

 Aires, 11 to Holland, 12 to Australia, 7 to Germany, 55 to Canada, 

 12 to the United States, 28 to North America, 16 to Spain, 

 28 to Russia, 616 to South America. 2 to Uruguay, and 1 to France; 

 or a total of 1,566, against 2,559 in the previous year. 



The first volume of the Lincoln Longwool Sheep Breeders' Flock 

 Book was issued in 1892. 



Lincoln Classes at the Smitlifield Show, 1902-1911. 



THE KENT OR ROMNEY MARSH. 



This breed of Longwoolled sheep takes its names from the 

 district and county in which it originated, though at the present 

 time it is by no means confined to Kent. Registered flocks are also 

 to be found in Rutland, Herts, and Sussex, while large numbers 

 of the sheep are annually taken for grazing to other districts. 



