44 



Shropshire Sheep. 



[Apr., 



SHROPSHIRE SHEEP. 



Alfred Man sell. 



At the latter end of 1882 the breeders of Shropshire sheep 

 estabhshed the first Sheep Breeders' Association of the world, 

 and in 1883 its first Flock Book was published. 



The formation of the Association was hastened to some extent 

 by the great demand which had sprung up during the years 

 1880 to 1882 for Shropshire sheep for export, mainly to the 

 United States and Canada, and buyers were asking for certifi- 

 cates of purity and origin. 



The publishing of a flock book and the issue of export certifi- 

 cates gave a great impetus to the export trade, and it is estimated 

 that no fewer than 20,000 Shropshire sheep were exported during 

 the first decade of the Flock Book's existence, and a steady and 

 remunerative foreign trade has been maintained ever since, 

 either for crossing with Merino or native breeds of sheep, or to 

 found pure bred flocks, which would hereafter furnish rams for 

 a similar purpose. 



The position the breed occupies in the United States is shown 

 by the following official statement : — 



The total number of pure-bred sheep in the United States on 

 1st January, 1920, was 463,504. Shropshires come first v^ith 

 124,453, equal to 26i per cent., Rambouillets next with 106,819, 

 Merinos follow with 59,876, etc., etc. 



History. — The antiquity of the breed is beyond doubt, for 

 Anderson in his " Origin of Commerce " gives the price of 

 Shropshire wool in 1343 as £9 6s. 8d. per sack, and Smith in 

 his History of Wool and Woollen Manufacturers {Chron. 

 Riisticum, 1641) quotes the price of Salop (Shropshire) wool as 

 £6 6s. 4d. per sack for home use and £9 6s. 4d. for exportation. 

 Smith further says that the wool of Shropshire was the choicest 

 and dearest in England. 



The Shropshire sheep is descended from a breed which has 

 been known to exist from time immemorial on Morfe Common, 

 near Bridgnorth, the Longmynd TTills, near Church Stretton, 

 and Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, though the latter were 

 somewhat heavier sheep and darker in feature than those bred 

 in Salop. It is a down breed of beautiful symmetry on short 

 legs, with lean fleshy back and deep full legs of mutton, with 

 dense wool of best staple and of high quality. 



