British Breeds of Sheep 71 



and lashy. A report from one of the leading flocks 

 in Lincolnshire states that in 1888 the clip of 843 

 fleeces averaged 12| pounds per fleece. Another 

 flock report shows that 125 sheariing rams produced 

 18 pounds apiece, 60 averaged over 20 pounds, and 

 four fleeces weighed respectively 23, 24 1, 25 f, and 30 1 

 pounds. A good breeding flock, it is claimed, will 

 average 12 to 14 pounds per fleece. 



Breeding qualities of Lincolns. — Reliability in 

 breeding, prolificacy, and good nursing qualities 

 are features that are valuable in a breeding flock. 

 For reliability in breeding the larger breeds cannot 

 equal the smaller and more active breeds for the 

 reason that they are more inclined to fleshiness, and 

 very often the fat accumulates and overhangs about 

 the hind quarters, so as to prevent service. In re- 

 spect to the prolificacy of this breed, the basis for the 

 awards of the prizes of the Lincolnshire Agricultural 

 Society may be considered. Three classes of prizes 

 were offered, and in the first class where the number 

 of ewes bred exceeded 300, the percentage of lambs 

 to ewes was 1.28 in the instance of the prize 

 winner; in the second class where the number of 

 ewes bred was between 150 and 300, the percentage 

 of the highest returns was 1.34 ; and in the third class 

 where the ewes bred exceeded 40, but not under 

 150, the percentage of lambs was 1.35. It is to be 

 remembered that these are the best results instead of 

 averages, and they appear to indicate that in common 



