47 



REPORT ON SHEEP. 



The Committee appointed to award premiums on Sheep for the 

 Norfolk Agricultural Society, at the Show of 1863, report as 

 follows : 



Edward R. Andrews, of West Roxbury, presented a Cots- 

 wold ram and five ewes for the premium offered for the best lot of 

 sheep ; also, two lots of Iambs (grade Cotswolds) for the premiums 

 offered under that head. There was no other claimant for these 

 premiums ; yet the Committee, beheving that the merit possessed 

 by Mr. Andrews' sheep would justify it, have awarded to him 

 the first premium of $8 on the sheep ; the first premium of $5 

 on one of the lots of lambs, and the second premium of $3 on 

 the other lot. 



The ram above mentioned was last year the recipient of the 

 premium offered by the Society for the best ram, and is, therefore, 

 inehgible for that premium ; but in accordance with the Society's 

 rules, the Committee award a diploma, certifying that he is the 

 best on exhibition. 



J. G. Ray, of Franklin, presented four Chinese sheep. They 

 could not compete for any premium offered by the Society. The 

 Committee would tender their thanks to Mr. Ray for sending 

 these sheep to the exhibition, thus affording an opportunity for 

 many people to see them who probably never saw any of this 

 curious breed before. They are chiefly valuable for their prolific 

 habits, producing from two to four lambs at a birth, and breeding 

 as often as they can, consistently with the period of gestation, 

 five months. They belong to the fat-tailed tribe of sheep, though 

 their tails are not as large as those of some varieties of the 

 tribe. They seem to fatten easily, though the fat is chiefly 

 accumulated about the tail and along the rump, — it being some- 

 times quite thick in these parts, Avhen other parts are comparative- 

 ly destitute of fat, and thin of flesh. The wool is soft, silky and 

 glossy, but is mixed more or less with short, stiff hairs, which 

 much reduce the value of the fleece for manufacturing purposes. 

 For the Committee, 



SANFORD HOWARD, Chairman. 



DedJiam, Sept. 25, 1863. 



REPORT ON SWINE. 



Boars — First premium to W. T. G. Morton, of Needham, $' 

 Second premium to E. W. Clap, of Walpole, $3. 

 Sows — First premium to W. T. G. Morton, of Needham, ^5. 

 Second premium to W. T. G. Morton, of Needham, 



