7 6 



Romney Marsh Sheep. 



[may, 



being divided by dykes, which, in a severe winter, when lightly 

 frozen and filled with snow, are a serious danger to the flocks ; few 

 trees are found for shade or shelter and the gales from east and 

 west sweep unchecked across the marsh. 



From this brief description of the area it is obvious that the 

 breed of stock which can withstand the rigour of the winter and 

 early spring and the unshaded heat of the sun in summer must 

 be a hardy one, and this is pre-eminently the character of the 

 Romney Marsh breed. 



The breed has been kept practically pure from time 

 immemorial. When the influence of the improved Leicester was 



TYPES OF ROMNEY MARSH SHEEP (YVESTBROKE FLOCK). 



being tried upon some of our English long-woolled breeds, it is 

 probable that some Leicester blood was introduced, and although 

 the old Romney Marsh breeders foretold a falling off in the hardy 

 thrifty character of their breed through the admixture of the 

 Leicester blood, such a result did not ensue. 



The following description of the old Romney Marsh sheep 

 early in last century (1806) given by Mr. Price, states :— " The 

 pure Romney Marsh bred sheep are distinguished by thickness 

 and length of head, a broad forehead with a tuft of wool upon it, 

 a long and thick neck and carcase. They are flat sided, have a 

 sharp chine, are tolerably wide on the loin, have the breast narrow 



