SUPPLEMENT. 765 



Waldegrave, of Essex. In the previous year Mr. Arthur Young hought eighty ewes of 

 the same gentleman at 185. a piece. These were sent into Suffolk. In 1789 Mr. Rams- 

 den, of Nottinghamshire, bought forty ewes from the Glynde flock at 25s. each, and Mr. 

 Boys, ofBetshanger, in East Kent, gave Mr. Ellinan 8 guineas for a ram. The same 

 year Mr. Macro, of Norfolk, acquired from the same flock one hundred and seventy ewes 

 at 23s. a head. In 1790 Mr. Crowe, also of Norfolk, bought of Mr. Ellinan forty ewes at 

 26s. each, and a ram at 12 guineas. In 1791 Mr. Boys gave 31s. Qd. per head for sixty of 

 the Glynde ewes. 



From this year I believe we may date the increased introduction of Southdown sheep 

 into Norfolk, under the auspices of that renowned encourager of agricultural improve- 

 ment and progress, Thomas William Coke (afterwards Earl of Leicester). Mr. Ellman 

 certainly visited Holkham in the year 1790. Having seen the Norfolk breed of sheep, 

 which he considered more remarkable for their activity than anything else, he suggested 

 to Mr. Coke the desirability of a trial of a few Southdown ewes to see how far they 

 would be suited to the soil and climate of Holkham. Mr. Coke assented. As his own 

 sheep were sold, Mr. Ellman bought five hundred ewes and lambs from the best flocks 

 in Sussex, and sent them to Holkham, with four rams from his own flock; Mr. Coke 

 giving as much as 70 guineas for these rams. In 1793 Mr. Coke paid Mr. Ellman 35s. 

 each lor eighty ewes, and in 1794 the Earl of Ergemont gave 2 guineas each for fifty of 

 the Glynde ewes. After this Francis, Duke of Bedford, the Duke of Norfolk, and other 

 noblemen and gentlemen, visited Glynde, and were the means of introducing South- 

 down sheep into different counties. The first ram that ever fetched 50 guineas was sold 

 by Mr. Ellman in 1796 to Mr. Goodenough, of Dorsetshire. From that time, for many 

 years, there was a steady demand for all the rams Mr. Ellman could supply at prices 

 ranging from 20 to 100 guineas each for the season. In 1800 Mr. Ellman disposed of 

 two hundred ewes to the Duke of Bedford for 500 guineas, and in 1802-'3 his grace paid 

 him 300 guineas for the use of a ram for the two seasons, which was the highest letting 

 price ever made by a Glynde rain. The price at which Mr. Ellman sold his draft ewes 

 soon rose to 3 guineas each, and afterwards to 4 guineas, at which price he contracted 

 for the sale of the whole draft to one person (Mr. George Talbot, of Gloucestershire) for 

 four years. 



The next person who did much to improve and popularize the Southdown breed of 

 sheep was the late Mr. Jonas Webb, of Babraham, in Cambridgeshire. This eminent 

 sheep-breeder well deserved the respect in which he was held throughout his life. He 

 was a true representative man, of whom his country might well be proud. His name 

 will be remembered for ages to come, and he will be spoken of as one of England's most 

 distinguished breeders and improvers of Southdown sheep. Great was his success as a 

 farmer, and no wonder, for he carried out what he undertook with vigor and ' ' thorough- 



His connection with Southdown sheep commenced when he was a young man. He 

 entered upon a series of experimental trials with several different breeds of sheep in 

 order to find out which breed was most suited to the Cambridgeshire uplands. At that 

 time Mr. Webb had no particular preference for any one breed, but after exhaustive 

 trials he fully satisfied himself that Southdown sheep produced the greatest weight, and 

 gave the best quality of mutton for the amount of food consumed, and were consequently 

 the most profitable both to breeder and grazier. 



These trials determined Mr. Webb to have nothing to do with any other breed of sheep 

 than Southdown. He therefore purchased for the Church Farm, at Babraham, ewes and 

 rams of the late Mr. John Ellman, of Glynde, and other breeders in Sussex. Having 

 started it he gave unremitting attention to his flock, and soon witnessed a gradual but 

 sure improvement in its character. His first letting of rams by public auction took place 

 in 1826. These lettings were continued annually down to the year 1860. 



Many will remember the Babraham Ram Lettings, and the annual dinner which fol- 

 lowed, with mingled feelings of pleasure and regret; pleasure in thinking over those 

 days, and regret that such meetings are now things of the past. Who can forget the 

 long and gaily-decked wagon-lodge which formed a characteristic banqueting-hall, filled 

 with agriculturists, and among them many leading noblemen and gentlemen, who came 

 not so much to do business as to pay honor to an old friend; who does not remember the 

 late Earl of Hardwicke, with his burly John Bull form and manner, seated at the head 

 of the guests delivering his pithy speeches, replete with humor and happy hits on cur- 

 rent topics; who does not recall the jolly, cheerful, Sam Jonas, acting as master of the 

 ceremonies, and his face giving off" radiance enough to have lighted up the place without 

 the aid of candles; or the lithe and active John Clayden, who was here, there, and every- 

 where, with a kind word for everybody; or the host himself in his seat at the bottom 

 table, supported by his friend and opponent in Southdown breeding, William Rigden, 

 AD I by the tall and spare form of Jem Turner, of Chyngton, one of the best judges of 



