103 



Rams have strong curved horns, though of a much softer and 

 more waxy appearance than the dark ringed horn of the Blackface, 

 and they curve out more from the head. Ewes are hornless, while 

 wethers have short horns only a few inches long and merely curving 

 backwards and outwards. The sheep are more active and restless 

 than even Blackfaces, and few fences can restrain them for any 

 length of time. 



The mutton is of the highest quality and on the London market 

 is classed with that of the Blackface and Southdown. As in the 

 case of most mountain breeds, wethers used to be kept for three or 

 more years and sold to the butcher off the mountains, but with the 

 lower price of wool and the demand for younger mutton a large 

 number of wether lambs reared on the mountains are sold as stores 

 and fed off on low ground in their first winter. The pure bred 

 carcase as a rule averages about 30 lb., but those of sheep reared 

 and fed on lower ground will attain 50 lb. and more. 



Welsh ewes are good mothers and milkers, and the old ewes are 

 used in great numbers for rearing fat lambs en the lower ground. 

 For this purpose they are crossed with Wiltshire, Southdown, 

 Kerry Hill, Leicester, Border Leicester, Dorset, Ryeland, Shrop- 

 shire, and other rams. The Southdown cross gives an almost 

 perfect carcase though it is rather small. Great numbers of draft 

 ewes are sold to go to the Midlands for this purpose. 



In average flocks, fleeces run about 2^ lb. for ewes and 3 to 5 lb. 

 for rams. The sheep are usually kept on the open mountains from 

 May till November, but are brought down to lower ground for the 

 winter. 



The Welsh Mountain Sheep Breeders' Association and Flock 

 Book Society was formed in 1905 and the first volume of the Flock 

 Book appeared in 1906. 



Welsh Mountain Classes at the Smith field Show, 1902-1911. 



THE RADNOR 



The Radnor breed had the Welsh Tan-face sheep as a foundation 

 stock. It is now a short-legged hardy little sheep (smaller than the 

 Kerry Hill, which in some ways it resembles) with a close fleece of 

 fine wool on the back and sides, rather coarse underneath, and 

 speckled faces and legs, though some few retain the tan colour. 

 V ery few of the genuine old Radnor sheep remain, as the breed has 

 been crossed so much with Kerry Hills and Shropshires. Some 

 retain their hardy hill characteristics, others are softer and past 

 only four summer months on the mountains. 



ure 



