Chin Forest 8heep. 
153 
is greater freedom from breechiness, while the lower setting of the 
rump and the heavier fore-quarters, which give the animal a greater 
squareness, have long been recognised, as is shown by a statement 
made by Mr. Henry Corbet, who wrote the Judges’ report * on live 
stock at the Cardiff Meeting in 1872 : “Within the memory of man 
the Radnor farmers have* always gone to Clun Forest for their best 
rams.” They continue to do so at the present time. Mr. Corbet 
further stated that “ in the south-east districts of Radnor some 
improvement has been effected of late years through a sheep brought 
from Herefordshire — a mixture of the old Ryeland with Leicester 
and Cotswold.” This would be a later introduction of the Ryeland 
blood than the one to which reference has been made, and would 
not refer to the Clun Forest district. Mr. J. A. Clarke, in his paper 
on “Practical Agriculture” in this Journal (Vol. XIV. s.s., 1878), 
does not mention the Ryeland blood when discussing the Forest 
sheep of Radnor, Brecon, Montgomery, and Monmouth, and, in fact, 
only mentions the Shropshires and Leicesters as breeds which have 
been used for crossing, these being comparatively modern crosses. 
Nor did he make the distinction between the Radnor Forest and 
the Clun Forest sheep, probably having in mind only the pre- 
sent popular view of the breeds, which classes them as one, but 
accords superior quality to the sheep of that portion of Shropshire 
in and around Clun Forest. As showing gradations of improvement 
in the wool, Lowe stated that the Clun Forest sheep produced a 
fleece weighing from 2 to 3 lbs. ; Mr. Corbet in 1872 gave 4 to 5 lbs. ; 
whilst at the present time, in the most improved flocks, the ewes give 
from 6 to 9 lbs., and the rams from 10 to 11 lbs. The improvement is 
largely due to the increase in size of the sheep as well as to the 
longer and thicker fleece. Lowe said the old Radnors weighed 
from 7 to 9 lbs. per quarter. Mr. Clarke stated that at from two to 
four years of age the Radnor sheep weighed from 14 to 15 lbs. per 
quarter ; whereas, at the present time, a good wether at sixteen 
months may be expected to weigh from 16 to 18 lbs. or even 20 lbs. 
per quarter. These are great strides from the 5 or 6 lbs. per quarter 
of the sheep as found on the higher Welsh mountains, especially 
when it is. remembered that these results have been obtained without 
sacrificing the quality of the meat. 
As an instance of the method of effecting an improvement in 
the Radnor sheep, and of making it partake more of the Clun Forest 
character, it is worth mentioning that the ewes of the Cwmtither or 
Llanderig district are crossed with a good Clun, and the produce is 
again crossed with the Clun. The Cwmtither sheep are more truly 
of the old Forest type, being lighter in the fore-quarters than the 
Llanderig, therefore the latter is taken by preference. Various other 
districts carrying a good type of sheep are drawn upon for a supply 
of ewes, but though many breeds were at one time used to cross and 
improve the animals, the Shropshire is almost the only foreign breed 
which is now made use of. The alteration in type is required because 
See Journal, Vol. yill. s.s. 187?. 
