THE LINCOLN. 29 



long, sometiaies being nine inches in length; is well waved and 

 soft. The Cotswold has assisted materially in establishing sev- 

 eral of the present crossbreeds, notably the Oxford Downs and 

 Shropshires in England, and the Cotswold Merino in Germany. 

 Its availability of adaptation to various climates and conditions 

 and the general useful character of its fleece in woolen manu- 

 facture makes it one of the roost valuable breeds we possess at 

 the present time. 



Che Lincoln Sbecp. 



This is another famous breed of English sheep, and may 

 almost be said to be a manufactured breed, owing as it does its 

 present perfection and size to systematic and judicious crossing 

 of the old Lincoln sheep with other breeds, notably the improved 

 Leicester. THE OLD LHSTCOLN^ was a large coarse sheep, 

 with flat sides and hollow flanks, large legs and feet. Their 

 fleece averaged between ten and twelve pounds, almost touching 

 the groimd, and was very oily. They fattened slowly, and made 

 much fat internally. 



THE XEW LmCOLN is, as before stated, the product of 

 Leicester crosses upon the original breed, the result being a large 

 sheep; in fact, the largest of any in the British Isles. The flesh 

 is firm; wool extraordinarily long; fleece very heavy, a ram's clip 

 often weighing between twenty-five and thirty pounds; the wool 

 is bright, and lustrous when, shorn. While some breeders con- 

 sider that the Lincolns as a mutton breed are inferior to the 

 Downs, every one admits that for crossing on the common or 

 native stock of the American Continent they are "second to 

 none." H. A. Danniels, Secretary of the ISTational Lincoln Sheep 

 Breeders' Association, writes concerning their early importations 

 to this country as follows: "Among the first importers of this 

 breed to Canada were John Geary of London, WilliamWalker of 



