394 SHEEP 



to-day the strongest individual sheep association in the world. 

 Its first flock book was published in 1889, since which it has 

 published eighteen, and about 190,000 sheep have been registered 

 to 1905. There is also a National Shropshire Association in the 

 United States, which has published one flock book. Australia 

 and Tasmania also have Shropshire flock book associations. 



High prices for Shropshires have been paid. In 1881 Mr. A. B. 

 Allen wrote : 



I notice from late sales reported in the English papers the choicest 

 are bringing high prices, 10 to 100 guineas ($SO to $500) each, and one 

 ram has been sold for the extraordinary sum of 200 guineas ($1000). 



Mr. Alfred Mansell, long a prominent auctioneer of Shrop- 

 shires abroad, has published quite a record of Shropshire sale 

 prices. A hst of 464 rams ranged in average selling price at 

 auction from slightly above $100 per head to over ^200, while 

 1700 ewes sold at prices ranging from ^20 to over $50 per head. 

 A list of 53 rams is also given, by name, which have either sold 

 or been hired for from $305 up to ^1250 each, nine of which 

 came within the ^1000 list. In 1896 Mr. Mansell wrote : 



Foreign and colonial flock masters have been good customers, and at 

 high prices, running up. to 200 guineas for rams, 30 guineas for ram lambs, 

 40 pounds for ewes, and 15 guineas for ewe lambs. 



In the United States Shropshire rams have sold for as high 

 as $500. 



