- 486 



rica, 1 6 to Spain, 28 to Russia, 616 to South America, 2 to Uru- 

 guay, and i to France, or a total of i 566, against 2 559 in the 

 previous year. 



It has been contended that the exportation of many of the 

 best sheep must be injurious to the interests of the breed as a 

 whole, but the influence appears to be all in the opposite direction. 

 The high prices given by foreign buyers stimulate breeders at 

 home to greater efforts. fMoreover, the numbers exported are, 

 after all, insignificant in consideration of the fact that Lincoln- 

 shire is, next to Northumberland, the county which contains the 

 largest number (more than one million) of sheep in the United 

 Kingdom. 



THE KENT OR ROMNEY MARSH SHEEP. Characteristics of the 

 Breed. The Kent or Romney Marsh sheep is unsurpassed for 

 hardiness by any Lowland Longwool breed. It is a white-faced 

 and white-legged breed, with an exceptionally close coat of good 

 wool of a semi-lustre type. Owing to many sheep having lost the 

 tuft of wool on the forehead, which was once a characteristic fea- 

 ture of the breed, a flock of ewes is wanting in uniformity of ap- 

 pearance. The backs of fat sheep are somewhat hard to the touch, 

 and both the top of the shoulder and the backbone are liable to 

 stand up too prominently, but the mutton is classified in the market 

 next to Down mutton in quality, as it is not only finer in texture, 

 but proportionately leaner than that of other longwools. 



Distribution of the Breed. Their hardy constitution and active 

 disposition render them of special service in the North Island of 

 New Zealand in hilly districts, where, for nearly a quarter of a 

 century, the Romney Marsh sheep has been held in high estimation, 

 It has increased in popularity abroad (especially in Argentina, 

 Canada, and South Africa) since the foundation of the Kent or 

 Romney Marsh Sheep Breeders' Association in 1895, an d the Flock 

 Book, the 1 5th volume of which was published in 1909, showed a 

 membership of over 80 breeders. The breed is also successfully 

 spreading at home to other counties than Kent, and to soils which 

 differ from the rich alluvial plains of the Romney Marsh : successful 

 registered flocks, for example, have been established in Herts and 

 Rutlandshire. 



Regulations for Entry in the Flock Book. So stringent are the 

 regulations for entry in the Flock Book laid down by bye-laws, 

 that " no flock shall be eligible for acceptance for entry unless its 

 owner is a [member of 'the Association, and that all rams used 



