MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 107 



reported that he had a seven months' old lamb that weighed 224 

 pounds, a weight that would be hard to surpass by any breed. 



THE ROSCOMMON. 



As its name suggests, this is an Irish breed of sheep, and 

 indeed, as Mr. Matthew Flanagan, a well known Eoscommon 

 breeder of Tomona, Ireland, states in a letter to the writer, "Ros- 

 common sheep are Ireland's only native sheep," and that they are 

 a good breed the following extracts from a booklet published 

 by the Roscommon Sheep Breeders' Association, given below, goes 

 to show. To Mr. Flanagan is due the thanks of the author for 

 the picture used in illustrating this article, and other information. 

 Unlike the patrons of Kerry cattle, the breeders of Roscom- 

 mon sheep, instead of a diminutive and originally starved type of 

 stock, as was found in Kerry, have a type of sheep which for size, 

 robust constitution, wealth and weight of flesh, can hardly be ex- 

 celled. And with an association, and the establishment of a flock 

 book protecting their best interests, such a breed of sheep is yet 

 calculated to become a tower of strength all over the land. When 

 other countries had produced any new breed of live stock to their 

 great advantage, they were quickly recognized by their national 

 societies, but in regard to native Roscommon sheep, it was not 

 until some twenty-five years ago that the breed was recognized 

 by the Royal Dublin Society. 



^"Unlike the other counties of Ireland, Roscommon has mainly 

 confined her attention to this breed of sheep which she claims as 

 native, and has given little countenance to other varieties. This 

 fact is due rather to the high character of the native Roscommon 

 sheep than to any prejudice on the part of breeders, who it must 

 be said have been energetic and successful in the improvement of 

 their native stock. Under the modifying influences of soil and 

 climate in other counties and districts, they exhibit considerable 

 variety in type and character, but the sheep at present known 

 as the long-wooled Roscommons are indigenous to the county, 

 their origin dating back for centuries. They have shown a grad- 

 ual improvement in type, particularly during the last fifty years. 

 It is held by some authorities that the present breed is the result 

 of crossings with English blood, but the general, consensus among 

 old flock owners in the county is that they are the native breed, 

 improved by judicious blending of the various predominant qual- 

 ities of the sire with flock that is, by taking advantage of the 

 valuable peculiarities, encouraging their development, and by de- 

 grees rendering them more permanent. 



"In the Irish Farming World Mr. William Davidson, of 

 Queen's County, Ireland, a well known authority on the ovine 

 family says of the Roscommon : 



" ' After fifty years' experience I have come to the conclusion 



