788 CATTLE AND nDAIEY -FARMING. 



co and the more sable they are the better. This breed is a cross between the South- 

 downs and Norfolk Blacks of half a century ago, probably improved with Hampshire 

 Down crosses. The meat of the Suffolk is juicy and lean, and the mutton is much in 

 request in various centers. The breed is active and hardy, and can live where other va- 

 rieties would be famished. Mr. E. Gittus made the top figure of the season, namely, 

 20 and the average being 14 2s. Mr. Gittus's shearling ewes fetched 126s. for the 

 best pen at Newmarket, where Messrs. Slater and Northern! both sold rams at 26 guineas 

 each and the Marquis of Bristol got 25 guineas for another. At Ipswich fair Mr. J. A. 

 Smith's consignment was one of great promise, having been selected from the best ewes 

 of his flock. He sold 16 ram lambs at an average of 13 guineas, and 40 lambs at an av- 

 era^e of 9 3s. Messrs. Sexton and Grimwade, who were the first to inaugurate the 

 auction competitions, sold 70 ram lambs and a fine lot of ewe and wether lambs. A fine 

 rain was purchased by MR Robert Cross for 5 5s. Mr. W. Gurdon, of Brantham Court, 

 sold his best specimen for 13 10s. Mr. E. Fyson sold 12 ram lambs at 12 guineas, 

 &c Mr. Jacob Walker sold his flock, as he was about to take a smaller farm. The 

 Suffolk ewes made high prices. The 210 shearlings realized a total of 911. The highest 

 figure realized, 95s. per head. Shearling rams realized from 8 to 3. 



SCOTCH BLACKFACES. 



In Scotland Black-faced sheep are supplanting the Cheviots, as it is a more hardy breed, 

 which has weathered the storms of severe winters more successfully, and on this account 

 larger numbers have been offered for sale all over the country. They met an exceed- 

 ingly good market, and averaged within a shade of 16 each. Mr. Brydon, of Burn- 

 castle, had the next average of 10 13s. The highest price paid of ;?45 was by Mr. 

 Thorburn, Stonehill. Mr. Dodd, Northumberland, also bought one at 44. The Duke 

 of Argyll bought one at 37, and another at 24. 



Mr. Charles Howatson, of Glenbuck, Ayrshire, offered a wonderful lot at his twelfth 

 annual sale, and made capital prices. A three-shear ram made 20. The highest prices 

 were given for three shearling rams, sired by Glenbuck Yet. Mr. Fleming, Lesmaha- 

 gow, paid the top figure of 43 for Glenbuck Again. Mr. M'Naughton, Aberfeldy, 

 bought Arabi at 30; and Mr. Hamilton, Tyndrum, gave 29 for Duncan Gray. The 

 tup lambs got by Glenbuck Yet made the remarkable average of 13 14s. 6d. each, Mr. 

 Brydon, Burncastle, paying the extraordinary sum of 28 10s. for a handsome ram, com- 

 bining symmetry, size, and substance. This price has never been equaled for a Black- 

 faced lainb, the highest last year being 13. 



Mr. Malcolm, of Poltalloch, Argyllshire, sold some Black-faced sheep. The shearling 

 tups averaged 7 a head. Mr. Campbell, Ormaig, bought the highest priced one at 

 36. The total increase on the stock proceeds of last year's sale for a similar number 

 of sheep was 600. This shows that the Blackfaces are gradually rising in value in 

 Scotland. 



There were doubtless many other sales and incidents worthy of remark which trans- 

 pired during 1883; but we have simply dealt with the facts as presented to us in the 

 markets. Under the circumstances, flockmasters are to be congratulated on the results 

 of the past season's sales, and to hope for a continuance of the same friendly competition 

 in the year 1884. 



SHEEP PORTRAITS. 



[Inclosure No. 8 in Consul-General Merritt's report.] 



The portrait (Plate 367) is reproduced from the Agricultural Gazette for 1874, as a fit- 

 ting illustration of the Oxford Down breed. This ram was shown by Mr. C. Howard at 

 the Hull and Cardiff meetings of the Royal Agricultural Society, and he was commended 

 at both places. Everyone knows that the history of the breed includes many names, such 

 -as Tread well, Gillett, Druce, Howard, Street, and others; and illustrations mi^ht hav 

 been selected reproduced from former years of sheep from any of their celebrated 

 flocks. We have selected the illustration here given, however, as being on rather a larger 

 'scale than the others; and, notwithstanding a certain distortion due to the lens, includ- 

 ing much exaggerationjof the head and muzzle of the sheep, as being a fair representation 

 of^the excellent and massive form, fine character of wool, &c., indicative of the breed. 



This breed originated in a cross between the Cotswold rani and the Hampshire Down 

 ewe; and Mr. Twynam, now of Winchester, was one of the leaders, forty years ago, in 

 maintaining that the breed should be made permanent by continuing to breed from these 

 cross-bred sheep, until at length a permanent type was established. This has now been 



