1909.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 879 



mated with Wiltshire, Southdown, and Border-Leicester rams. There 

 was not much to choose between the Wiltshire and the Southdown 

 lambs. The Wiltshires were, however, decidedly heavier, although they 

 had not the same quality, nor did they fatten so early as the South- 

 downs. The Border-Leicester lambs were later, and consequently not 

 altogether comparable. 



Breeding of Sheep (Cumberland and Westmorland Farm School, 

 Ann. Rept., 1906-7). — The ewes mostly in favour in Cumberland and 

 Westmorland for the production of fat and store lambs are Cheviot- 

 Border-Leicester (" half-bred "), Scots Black-Face — Border-Leicester 

 (" grey face "), and Scots Black-Face — Wensleydale (" Wensleydale 

 grey face "). Seven of each were mated with a Border-Leicester ram, 

 and seven with a Wensleydale ram. The results showed that wherever 

 Wensleydale blood appeared, the lambs were slower in fattening, though 

 they grew rapidly ; consequently they had to be kept longer, attained 

 much greater weights, and sold at a lower price per pound (because 

 later) than the lambs otherwise bred. This feature was more pronounced 

 where a double share of Wensleydale blood appeared. On the other 

 hand, lambs got by the Border-Leicester ram were always fat when 

 big enough for market. The inference drawn from the result is that 

 the Border-Leicester ram is better for fat lambs. The Wensleydale 

 ram, on the other hand, is the better for good growing store lambs 

 containing much lean flesh. The lambs from the grey-faced ewes by the 

 Border-Leicester tup reached 70 lb. and sold at 6d. per lb. at an average 

 of 10^ weeks. 



Breeding of Sheep (Univ. Coll. of Wales, Rept. on Expts., 1906). — 

 Various breeds of sheep were kept on the College farm, and trials 

 were made both in 1905 and 1906 with a view to ascertaining the 

 best pure breeds and crosses. The question of the most suitable crosses 

 will be the subject of further experiments, but as regards pure breeds, 

 the conclusion reached was that pure-bred Kerries were by far the 

 most profitable sheep to keep on the College farm, while Shropshires 

 were the least profitable of all. An improved lot of pure-bred Welsh 

 Mountain sheep was found to live cheaply, require very little attention 

 during the winter or at lambing time, and to produce lambs that 

 matured early and sold well. For crossing purposes the Radnor sheep, 

 where tried, proved unsuitable, but when kept pure they appeared 

 to be a profitable breed of sheep, which throve well and gave verv little 

 trouble. 



Feeding of Sheep (Cumberland and Westmorland Farm School, 

 Ann. Rept., 1906-7). — The object of this experiment was to ascertain 

 whether, in view of the high price of cakes, oats could profitably be 

 substituted for linseed cake in fattening sheep. Two lots of seventeen 

 half-bred hoggs (Cheviot-Border-Leicester) were fed for seventy-two 

 days, the daily ration being 1 stone cut swedes, hay as required, and in 

 one case \ lb. oats, and in the other \ lb. oats and \ lb. linseed cake. 

 The gain in live weight of the lot receiving oats alone was 370 lb., 

 and of the lot receiving oats and linseed cake 450 lb. Valuing the 

 mutton at qd. per lb., and deducting the extra cost of cake, the lot 

 fed on cake and corn showed a gain of 22s. 2d. over the lot receiving 

 oats only. 



Feeding of Lambs (Univ. Coll. of North Wales, Agric. Dept., 

 Bull. VIII., 1906). — A series of experiments with various " sugar foods " 



