50 BRITISH SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



WELSH MOUNTAIN. 



The native sheep of Wales are of the mountain type. There 

 are two original stocks the one of the higher hills, a naturally 

 wild, dark -faced, horned sheep, and the other a lighter faced, 

 white or tan, the soft-woolled, pink-nosed, antelope -looking breed, 

 also horned, of the lower hills. There are many variations of 

 these, as is natural in country where there is much alternation of 

 hill and valley, and of deeper or shallower soil, as well as of geological 

 formation. The breeds are of great antiquity, and, as such, have 

 acquired indigenous character that adapts them to their native 

 hills. However, as they meet with more liberal treatment owing 

 to agricultural development, which was greatly furthered by the 

 Enclosures Act, they have been altered to suit modern conditions, 

 and a steady improvement is being maintained, especially with 

 those that generally affect the moderate altitudes. The quality 

 of the mutton has always ranked very high, even in the distant- 

 London market. 



In the early days of sheep improvement the usual endeavour 

 to improve the sheep, especially those living on the lower levels,, 

 was made, although it was not pushed as far as with most breeds. 

 The influence of extraneous blood of other mountain breeds, such 

 as the Cheviot and the Black-face in the early days, was not great. 

 The improvement of the several Welsh breeds and variations was 

 brought about more particularly through the Shropshire, the 

 Clun Forest, the Cheviot (at a later stage), and the Ryeland, but 

 the Ryeland's influence was best infused by the blood of that 

 breed that existed in the Clun. The Scotch Black-face has been 

 tried, but with variable success. Over many parts of Wales, 

 on a better pasturage, the Shropshire pure, but more often in the 

 cross, is met with in considerable numbers, and in some counties 

 the Ryeland is kept pure. The existing native Welsh breeds 

 are the Welsh Mountain, the Kerry Hill, the Radnor, and the 

 now scarce Plinlimmon ; the Clun originated in Shropshire. 



But the Welsh Mountain Sheep, as now recognised by the Flock 

 Book Society, founded in 1905, has definite features and char- 

 acteristics set out to distinguish it from the other breeds. Whatever 

 other races may have been infused into it during the period 

 of chance breeding that proceeded straight breeding of more recent 

 years, there is practically nothing to indicate any except the 

 Cheviot, and that in only a moderate degree. In those of the 

 breed that has been markedly handled by the breed-maker, the 

 antelope neck and light fore-quarters have given place to an 

 altogether fuller fore-quarter. The carcase, which is somewhat 

 long and narrow, carries a fleece of short, fine, thick wool, and 



