RADNOR SHEEP. 99 



with few good points in shape and symmetry. They have 

 white faces and legs, and, as a rule, are without horns, and 

 they grow a short close wool, not wholly devoid of kemps 

 or hairs. Some of them have brown or tawny legs and 

 faces, and these are considered good points, denoting hardiness 

 of constitution. The average weight of the mountain ewe, 

 when fat, at four or five years old, is 28 Ibs., or 7 Ibs. per 

 quarter, whilst the wether at four years old does well if he 

 comes up to 40 Ibs., or 10 Ibs. per quarter. They are justly 

 celebrated for the quality and flavour of their mutton, which 

 attains perfection at four years old. Attempts at improve- 

 ments are generally in the direction of crossing the native 

 breed with Cheviot, Scotch Black-faced, and other rams, but 

 unless the produce is much better kept during the winter 

 than is usually the case, the cross-bred stock prove a com- 

 parative failure. It is found that the hill sheep of the district 

 are most safely and surely improved by importations from 

 Cardiganshire and North Wales. 



RADNOR SHEEP. 



In the county of Radnor, on the hills of Brecknock and in 

 the western parts of Montgomery, and parts of Merioneth, 

 remains a breed of the native dark-faced sheep of Wales, a 

 hardy, active race, developed by good management and selec- 

 tion into animals of larger size than the ordinary mountain 

 sheep, and carrying heavier fleeces. They have been im- 

 proved by the introduction of a cross of Shropshire and of 

 Leicester blood. The old breed was very small, and a great 

 point with breeders was a very large tail, heavily woolled, 

 and a quantity of coarse wool or hair about the breast. The 

 best kind of Radnor sheep have black faces, but many are 

 of a tan, grimy, or grey colour, and some, of unquestionable 

 purity of strain, have faces partly white. The rams are 

 horned, and the ewes should be hornless. They are short- 

 legged, light in the fore-quarter, and, though slow feeders, 

 yield mutton of excellent flavour. At three or four years old 



