British Breeds of Sheep 95 



brought them into notice are — their aptitude to 

 produce great weight and quaUty, both of mutton 

 and wool combined, with early maturity, while they 

 will bear to be stocked more thickly than other 

 breeds of equal weight." There is good evidence 

 of the popularity of the Shropshire, even at that 

 early day, in the fact that larger numbers were 

 shown than of any other breed. The same has been 

 true since. The Stewards of Stock at the same 

 society's show report in 1864 that "the Shrop- 

 shires form, we believe, the largest of any of the 

 sheep classes at the Royal meeting of the pres- 

 ent year, the numbers entered being as follows : 

 shearUng rams, 46 ; older rams, 9 ; shearling ewes, 10. 

 This number of entries we consider comparatively 

 large, taking into consideration the distance at 

 which the show is held from the counties whence 

 they sprung. We have great pleasure in recording 

 our opinion that the Shropshires exhibited at New- 

 castle are, with a few exceptions, uniform in char- 

 acter and quality, and combined good size and 

 weight with excellent wool-growing properties; and 

 that they are in aU respects well calculated to main- 

 tain their position as a useful and profitable breed, 

 and to obtain the favor of those persons who study 

 the breed and animals capable of producing at once 

 a high class and plentiful supply of mutton and a 

 heavy fleece of good wool. In making our selections, 

 we have endeavored to adhere to the type we con- 



