394 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Mr. Dungan. In my record book there is a very valuable note, takeh from an 

 address by one of the most prominent men of England. Perhaps it would be per- 

 tinent to read it here. 



[The article in question was here introduced and read to the convention, but is 

 missing.] 



Mr. Nelson. I am convinced more than ever that the Shropshire breed don't 

 come from the black sheep of the northern regions of England. People and stock 

 don't spread around there like they do here. The climate is different. The very 

 kind named in that article are in the south part of England. 



Mr. Dungan. I will stick close to Mr. Stewart's works. He has done more than 

 any man in the United States to investigate the origin of sheep. I am convinced 

 when I handle and look at the Shropshire that there is certainly a cross of long 

 wool in them. 



Mr. Mitchell. We get the black face from the Southdown. The Southdown is 

 the orijjinalor of the black face sheep. Those long horned sheep, accustomed to 

 the hills of Scotland, are a hardy variety. They inhabit the hills of that country, 

 and are known by the peculiarity of their horns. To my knowledge in the low 

 lauds the larger sheep have predominated, but in the Grampian hills the Cheviot 

 sheep are there in immense lots. The Southdown has been from time immemorial 

 a good shtep in England and Scotland. The Oxford is a more recent oro^s. The 

 Hampshire is an older sheep than any. The Oxford and all the downs sprang 

 from the Southdown. 



Mr. Dungan. The Oxford is produced from a cross with the Southdown and 

 Hampshiredown. 



Mr. Pruitl. The Shropshire has, without doubt, some Southdown blood. 



Mr. Mitchell. These sheep derived their name from the country in which they 

 originated. It is the same way with cattle and hogs. Mr. Stewart claims the 

 original type of the Shropshire. 



Mr. Dungan. You don't claim the Southdown is older than these other breeds, 

 do you ? 



Mr. Mitchell. I think it is. 



Mr. Houiand. I think it would be well to discontinue this discussion and make 

 it a subject matter for next meeting. It is a question of great interest as to the 

 Shropshire. The origin is of so great a date that we can hardly tell much about 

 it, but few authors have written on the subject. If the Shropshire is the best sheep 

 we have, we may leave the subject, and let each one make it a duty to study this 

 up lor next meeting. 



Mr. Dungan. Do you not think we may commit the same error we did in the 

 Cotswold a few years ago? The Shropshire produces a class of wool used perhaps 

 more than any other in manufactured goods. If all go into raising this sheep and 

 neglecting other breeds, it would meet the fate of the Cotswold. 



Mr. Mitchell. Every person has their preference in sheep raising as well as any- 

 thing else. The range sheep are not raised for mutton, but for wool. They get 

 good prices for that, as it will bear shipment. Long wool is best for blankets. 

 Fine wool is coming into use more and more all the time. Light woolen goods are 

 better to wear than cotton goods. Long wools were in demand during the war for 

 making army blankets ; but that has ceased and we do not want them now. 



