THE LINCOLN 



449 



have bred these sheep for one hundred and fifty years, and have 

 won the highest honors attained by the breed, and maintain the 

 largest flock in the county. S. E. Dean & Sons are also very 

 prominent breeders in Lincolnshire, having a large flock of 

 superior sheep from which extensive exportations are made. 



The prices paid for Lincolns are among the highest realized for 

 any breed of sheep. Since the South Americans and Australians 

 began to purchase rams for home trade high prices have ruled, 

 the supply being limited. The ram sales of Lincolnshire are now 

 world famous. On July 26, 1898, Mr. Henry Budding's sale 

 established a new record for England. One ram sold for ^£1050 

 ($5120), and 5 2 rams brought an average of ;^86 19 s. (^423.50). 

 At the 1905 sale of Mr. Budding a new record was made, 31 

 yearling rams bringing ;^28oi 8 s., and average of about ^440 

 each. The second-prize ram of the Royal Agricultural Society 

 Show of 1905 brought ^2500, while another ram sold for $2100. 

 Again, in 1906, the annual sale of Mr. Budding at Riby broke all 

 previous records and proved of international interest. One ram 

 sold for ^^1522 los. (about ^7600), the highest price on record. 

 In all 56 yearling rams realized over $42,000, or brought an 

 average of over $750. Twenty-three yearling ewes averaged 

 about $85 Each year the Budding sale attracts world-wide 

 attention. 



