DOWN AND HORN BREEDS. 33 



has not only greatly influenced the sheep industry of this country, 

 but has made its mark on the flocks in Scotland, and very much 

 in Ireland ; whilst in the big sheep countries over the water, where 

 wool and meat have been considered, the records of the Shropshire 

 sales is sufficient evidence. The Shropshire stands as an excellent 

 example of the value of combining the blood of several breeds 

 to produce a cosmopolitan build, and there is no testimony so 

 valuable to a breed as that of its cosmopolitan influence. 



The breed is met with in a pure condition in Staffordshire, where the 

 Cannock Chase sheep was used as foundation stock by Mr. Keeling, 

 who established his flock in the early 'thirties, though Mr. Coxon, 

 of Whittington Heath, who started his flock in 1825, did much for 

 his county's sheep during the forty years he handled it. But 

 it is almost safe to say that nearly the sheep world over the Shrop- 

 shire can be met with. Pure wool and meat has been the watchword 

 of the Shropshire men, and if one's personal idea is that for home 

 purposes wool has been a little too much sought after at the expense 

 of the lean meat, there are probably those who would refute this ; 

 but the success of the breed abroad has warranted the breeders' 

 methods. In the personal view that excessive covering of the 

 face with wool tends to promote the fleece at the expense of lean 

 meat one feels satisfaction that those responsible for the breed 

 have sent out an edict, that this covering shall not be held in the 

 regard that it has possessed for some years. 



If very much a pasture breed, and in first instance the sheep 

 of the redlands, as the Southdown is of the whitelands, the Shrop- 

 shire does well in the fold. It has had considerable influence on 

 the forest and hill breeds on the land adjoining, and crossed with 

 these very early and excellent lambs are produced. Speaking 

 broadly, the Shropshire is a sheep which does better north of the 

 Thames than south of it, though in the cross I have seen it do well 

 not far from the English Channel. The breed is remarkable for 

 its compactness, and for meeting the points which generally appeal 

 to the eye of the sheep lover. 



The Shropshire in the 1908 Census was returned practically 

 in the same numbers as the Hampshire ; had the Irish figures 

 been added, it is highly probable that the Shropshire, with its 

 crosses, would have stood relatively higher. 



The Shropshire Sheep Breeders' Association and Flock Book 

 Society was formed in 1882, but it does not insist upon a scale 

 of points for animals in competition. Mr. Alfred Mansell, whose 

 interest in the breed in every direction, has been of incalculable 

 value to it over many years, and whose influence has been highly 

 beneficial on all breeds, wrote me to the effect that the Association 

 preferred recommending the distinguishing points, thus giving 

 breeders a wider discretion and preventing the narrowing effect 



