THE ROMNEY MARSH 649 



both as a mutton and a wool-bearing sheep, while for exporting 

 frozen carcasses, " they are almost an ideal sheep — useful weights, 

 about 60 pounds as hoggets [wether lambs] ; joints well balanced 

 and plump ; fat not excessive, is well distributed, and the flesh 

 has an agreeable flavor." 



The fleece of the Romney Marsh sheep is long and compact 

 and more refined than the Leicester, grading as low quarter-blood 

 combing. It is hardly a braid or long wool, yet it seems closely 

 related to it. Hawkesworth states that Romney Marsh wool is not 

 understood in Australia, the mistake being that it resembles Lin- 

 coln or Leicester. He classes it as a demi-luster wool with a com- 

 manding length and an undulating crimp, much finer than the 

 Leicester, and "of a fine, soft nature." It is suggested that the 

 thigh wool should be improved in quality. The unwashed fleeces 

 of twelve months' growth should weigh about 12 to 14 pounds. 



The prices paid for Romney Marsh sheep have attained high 

 levels. In 191 1 A. J. Hickman, a prominent dealer and breeder, 

 stated that up to 1905 the record price for a Romney Marsh ram 

 was $280, whereas in 1910 his whole consignment averaged ^242, 

 the highest average that year for any breed sold in Great Britain. 

 Between 1906 and 191 1 "many Romney rams have topped the 

 ^500 mark. One ram made ^1300 to a South American breeder 

 this year, and another made ^1500 to go to New Zealand." ^ 

 J. E. Quested sold 24 rams at the 191 7 Ashford sale for an 

 average of $315, one bringing ^1050. All told, at this sale, 284 

 rams of the breed averaged ^160. In 19 19, at the Ashford ram 

 sale in Kent, one ram brought ^5000 and was later sold to go to 

 Buenos Aires for ^8000. 



The distribution of the Romney Marsh sheep in England is 

 essentially restricted to the southeastern section, more espe- 

 cially Kent and Sussex. In 1856 Robert Gibson visited Romney 

 Marsh district and, noting its similarity to the Tuyu lands of Ar- 

 gentina, made a small importation. Since this time many sheep 

 of the breed have been sent to South America from England. 

 Romney Marsh sheep are popular in parts of Australia and New 

 Zealand, and many have been exported to these countries, as well 

 as to South Africa. These sheep are almost unknown in North 



'^American Sheep Breeder, December, 191 1. 

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