294 THE DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



gray. Horns in the ram are desirable, but not essential, 

 and undoubtedly add much to tli<;: appearance, but other- 

 wise are not much valued. White hoofs are much preferred. 

 ***** There are many yeomen in the dales of Cum- 

 berland and Westmoreland whose flocks have been handed 

 down from father to son for generations without a blot or 

 stain on their pedigrees, and he would bo a degenerate son 

 who would dare to try a cross." The Herdwick, like most 

 of the mountain sheep, is distinctively a mutton sheep, 

 much prized for the fine flavor of its flesh. 



THE RYELAND SHEEP 



The old Ryeland was well scattered over Staffordshire, 

 Shropshire, Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and Gloucester- 

 shire a century and more ago, and as early as 1800 num- 

 bered 500,000 in Herefordshire alone, but for some reason 

 fell into disfavor and decline almost to the point of extinc- 

 tion. It was medium sized, ruining from 12 to 15 Ibs. 

 to the quarter in the wether, and 10 to 12 Ibs. in the ewe, 

 was white-faced and polled, with small clean legs, light 

 bone, compact, round body, a 2 Ib. fleece of very fine wool, 

 had great powers of endurance, and so much favored the 

 Merino in appearance, character and habit, as to suggest 

 a possible foreign origin. 



THE NEW RYELAND, 



while holding some of the better characteristics of its less 

 showy and less pretentious ancestor, has greater size, sym- 

 metry and weight of fleece, lambs under 12 months yielding 

 as high as 18 Ibs. per quarter, and yearlings 20 to 24 Ibs. to 

 the quarter, the fleece, though not so fine as in the older breed, 

 ranging from 6 to 8 Ibs. The New Ryeland, which doubtless 

 owes much of its fine size and style to early Leicester 

 crosses, is still hornless and white-faced, with short, close, 

 even wool, and is clearly a distinct breed, quite unlike any 

 other. It fattens with remarkable facility, matures quickly, 

 yields an excellent quality of flesh and is fast coming into 

 favor for its inherent value, as a wool and mutton sheep, 

 and especially for crossing on other breeds. Mr. Frank 

 Shepherd, who has had a life-long association with the breed, 

 says: "The Ryeland is one of the oldest of British breeds of 

 sheep, and to my mind is one of the best all-round breeds 



