126 MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



Writing of the breed, Youatt said : "They have mostly horns 

 more or less spirally formed, but the females are frequently without 

 horns. The faces and legs are black, or, at least, mottled. They 

 are covered with wool about the forehead and lower jaw and the 

 wool generally is somewhat open and long, coarse and shaggy. The 

 weight of one of these sheep when fattened is from 16 to 20 Ib. per 

 quarter, and the weight of the wool laid or unwashed is about 5 

 Ib. and that of a washed fleece, 3 Ib." 



They are a very picturesque breed, and no little romance is 

 connected with them. Ferguson learned astronomy while tending 

 a flock of this breed. Among the first importers of the breed into 

 the United States were Mr. Samuel Campbell,, of New York, and 

 Mr. Sandford Howard, of Massachusetts. Among recent importa- 

 tions imported into this country are those of Mr. L. D. Eumsey, 

 of New York (who has found them very desirable for crossing on 

 native ewes), Col. Geo. Truesdell, Maryland, and the Wyoming 

 Experiment Station. The Blackface Highland has found consid- 

 erable favor in Ireland. 



A Blackface ewe in Scotland, a short time ago, made a singular 

 lambing record. The shepherd one morning watched her while she 

 gave birth to two strong lambs. She was removed the following 

 day, together with her lambs to another field, and six days later 

 the shepherd was surprised to find the same ewe requiring assistance 

 to lamb, when she produced another strong lamb. The shepherd 

 reported that she would have nothing to do with the third one. 

 A foster mother, however, was found for it, which gave it a good 

 start in life. 



At a recent sale of Scotch Blackface rams at Lanark, one ani- 

 mal sold for $650, and two others for $475 and $375, respectively. 



THE CLTJN FOREST SHEEP. 



The Shropshire is not the only breed of sheep found in the 

 county of Shropshire as many imagine. On the hills of its native 

 county it is to an extent supplanted by a breed of sheep known as 

 Clun Forest, the ewes of which are very largely employed in 

 breeding market lambs. Lambs from these ewes, when mated with 

 Shropshire, Leicester or Eyeland rams, are credited with an excel- 

 lent capacity for early fattening in the spring, and are much sought 

 for by dealers at the local fairs at that season of the year. The 

 Clun Forest and Eadnor Forest form the boundary line between 

 Montgomeryshire and Shropshire. 



The Clun Forest sheep was originally white and polled, carry- 

 ing a fleece of from 2j^ to 3 Ib. and dressing from 12 to 14 Ib. per 

 quarter. The improved or modern Clun Forest breed of sheep, which 

 are said to be the produce of the Chin Forest ewe and the Ryeland 

 ram are considered a very useful breed, although they do not yet 



