MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 85 



properties of producing the most wool and mutton of any breed, 

 25 Ib. of washed wool being a very common weight of a fleece 

 from a ram, as much as 32 Ib. of clean washed wool is recorded; 

 and a good breeding flock will average from 12 to 14 Ib. each 

 fleece. They are very hardy, whole flocks being folded on turnips 

 during the winter months. Another great feature in the Lincoln 

 sheep is their early maturity and aptitude to fatten, as evidenced 

 by their success at the Smithfield show, so that the Lincoln stands 

 unrivalled, where size and wool are required, to cross with almost 

 any breed. The breed is also less subject to footrot than some of 

 the other breeds. 



In 1866, at the Annual April Fair, in Lincoln, 220 wether 

 hoggets, sold in one lot by the breeder, made 5 each. 



The following report of practical experiments carried out by 

 the Parlington Tenants' Club in 1861-2, published in the "Year 

 Book of Agricultural Facts for 186 1/' shows the relative value of 

 Lincolns as compared with other breeds : "On the 4th of October, 

 1861, six sheep of the undermentioned breeds were turned upon 

 rape, so that nature might have its course with natural food, and 

 without stint, until the llth of November, during which time the 

 cross from the Teeswater gained 2 stone 2 pounds, the Border 

 Leicesters 5 stone 1 pound, the Lincolns 3 stone 6 pounds, the 

 Shropshire Downs 6 pounds, the Leicesters 1 stone 13 pounds, and 

 the Cotswolds 5 stone 8 pounds, while the Southdowns lost 11 

 pounds. On the llth of November the sheep were again folded, 

 the several crosses being then in a pretty equal state for taking 

 on condition. If a lead should be supplied it might be in favor of 

 the Cotswolds, from the start this class had made in the latter part 

 of the summer grazing, and whilst on the rape. The whole of the 

 sheep had as many swede turnips as they could consume, and half 

 a pound of linseed cake per day, with the exception of the Lincolns, 

 and these, for forty-two days, had a quarter-pound extra ; but this 

 extra cake was placed to their debit in like manner as the various 

 weights of turnips consumed were to that of the several classes." 

 The following figures from the same Year Book shows the relative 

 value one class of sheep held to the other after deducting food-cost 

 from value of the mutton and wool: "The Teeswater cross, Us 

 7^d; the North sheep, 12s 5>^d; the Lincolns, 1 10s 5d; the 

 Southdowns, 17s 5d; the Shropshire Downs, 1 5s 103/4d; the 

 Leicesters, 1 2s 6d ; and the Cotswold, 14s 9^d." The sheep 

 were slaughtered in February following the commencement of the 

 experiments and were sold on the same market. This experiment 

 speaks volumes for the superiority of the Lincoln over the other 

 breeds in this contest. 



Mr. Bert Smith is the secretary of the National Lincoln 

 Breeders' Association of America. 



