CHAPTER LX 

 THE LINCOLN 



The native home of Lincoln sheep is in the county of Lincoln, 

 on the east coast of England by the North Sea. The soil is of 

 a clayey character. The land is slightly hilly in places, but also 

 has considerable lowlands of rich pasturage. The small cereals, 

 grass, and roots are the staple crops. The climate is moist and 

 fairly temperate, though rather cold alongshore in winter. 



The origin of the Lincoln dates back very many years. There 

 had long existed in Lincolnshire a large, coarse type of sheep 

 much like the old Leicester, with white face and legs, heavy 

 head, large neck and prominent dewlap, long and hollow of back, 

 with flat ribs but good loin and deep belly. The skin was 

 especially thick, the fleece long and coarse, the size very large, 

 and the flesh coarse and inferior. This old-fashioned type was 

 improved by the use of Leicester rams of the new sort, such as 

 Bakewell had produced. Much jealousy had existed between 

 Leicester and Lincoln breeders in those days, and the Lincoln 

 gradually developed into the largest, longest fleeced breed of 

 sheep in Britain. The early type was slow to mature, but Leices- 

 ter blood produced quicker feeders and generally improved the 

 symmetry and quality. The breed, however, did not have a wide 

 reputation like the Leicester, and until the middle of the last 

 century was known but little outside of Lincolnshire. 



The introduction of Lincoln sheep to America dates back over 

 a century. Prior to 1796 it is stated that some of the old 

 Lincolns were taken to Massachusetts, but, not thriving on the 

 hills, were generally abandoned. In 1825, however, A. A. Law- 

 rence of the same state " imported 6 Southdowns and 10 Lin- 

 colnshires." In 1829 Mr. Pickering, also of Massachusetts, 

 imported two rams and two ewes. It is reported that during 

 the ocean voyage a fleece of 19 pounds was removed from one 



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