May 22, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
415 
Royal Agricultural Society of England’s meeting in 1874 Lord 
Chesham took tlie first prize in the large class of ninety-six shearling 
rams. In the aged ram class, with twenty entries, he took the 
third prize ; but in the class for shearling ewes his lordship’s entry 
took the first prize in a class wherein one hundred sheep were shown. 
This was an important victory, and proved a true presage of great 
renown for the Latimer flock. We will make a quotation from the 
Judges' report on that occasion:—“As compared with previous 
exhibitions, which we have observed for fifteen years, we consider 
the classes contrast favourably, especially taking into consideration 
the number of the general entries. As a whole we find the sheep 
possess more uniformity of character, have not diminished in size, 
and still maintain the muscular proportions and consumable material 
which are themselves the natural properties of the Shropshires ; 
though we wish to remark that there were specimens exhibited to 
whose character we take exception, and whose breeders we advise 
to exercise a strict attention to type and colour.” Hex*e we wish to 
remark that a spirited exhibitor, Mr. T. J. Mansell, took the second 
prize only in the shearling ram class ; but in the aged ram class he 
took the first prize, in which class Lord Chesham took only third 
prize, thus showing that Mr. Mansell was such an enterprising 
exhibitor that we may naturally expect that he possessed a type and 
style of sheep destined to make a great advance in the Judges’ 
estimation and favour at a future time, when early maturity and 
as it is termed. Out of this discussion, too, came the conclusion that 
dark points of uniform colour, with the largest possible size of frame, 
were the correct objects to arrive at. The more experienced and 
consistent breeders came to this conclusion among themselves about 
the time of the “ Royal ’’ Battersea Show in 1862, and most admirably 
have they carried it out by their skill in the art of selection. 
As an illustration of the best style of Shropshire sheep above 
referred to, we give a portrait from the Agricultural Gazette of August 
20th, 1881, of Mr. Mansell’s first-prize Shropshire ram, Dudmaston 
Hero. The portrait is a very successful sketch by Mr. A. M. Williams 
from a photograph taken at Derby by the Animal Photograph 
Company of Mr. W. Mansell’s ram, aged two years and four months, 
sold to Mr. R. Loder, M.P., at Mr. Mansell’s sale for 200 guineas. 
The last quotation, together with our previous quotations from the 
Judges’ reports, shows that a contest of the greatest importance had 
been going on as between the character of sheep bred by Lord 
Chesham and those bred by Mr. Mansell. It is, therefore, interesting 
to see the result of this contest as exemplified by the report of the 
Senior Steward at the “ Royal ” Meeting of York in 1883, and also 
the Judges’ report on the classes of Shropshire sheep. The first 
report states :—“ The judging of the ninety odd entries of Shropshire 
rams, for instance, was a severe task for the Judges, but the gentle¬ 
men in office bestowed great care and no little time on their duties. 
The two-shear class was not so large nor so difficult to judge. Here 
Fig. 95. 
weight for agejwas likely to be the leading object of breeders of this 
breed of sheep. 
From the period of 1874 up to 1881 the Shropshires continued to 
show some diversity of type and character ; but the general success 
of the Latimer flock, which in the hands of Lord Chesham’s shepherds 
and agents assumed almost a pure Down style during the whole of 
this time, and generally taking a large portion of the leading prizes. 
But some competitors had different objects in view, and a want of 
uniformity was still conspicuous, and we glean from a statement in 
the Agricultural Gazette for August 29th, 1881, as follows :— 
“Judges at shows of course also differed in opinion. One or two 
out of the three were in favour of the South Down colour and type, 
while the next year two were in favour of dark colour and more size, 
notwithstanding the legs of the sheep were a little longer, and that 
the latter required more cake and corn to mature them early, or more 
time to get them fat in the ordinary way. The advocates of the 
latter argued that there were several breeds of small sheep, some of 
which were deficient in flesh as compared with the fat they produced. 
Upon this they said, “ We have in the Shropshires large frames and 
ample lean of a dark rich colour. The smaller Down-like frames 
must be discarded, and the larger sizes cultivated.” The results, as 
seen at the present time, have clearly proved that the latter advocates 
were right. This conflict of opinions and diversity of taste led to 
warm discussions. It was shown that in more than one instance 
pure South Downs had been introduced into flocks of the established 
Shropshire stock. In each instance the flock “ went all to pieces,” 
Mr. Thos. J. Mansell brought further honour to the Dudmaston 
flock, his beautiful and rarely covered little sheep, which was first in 
a monster shearling class at Reading in 1882, and whose letting price 
last season was 165 guineas, came out to try his fortune again in 
company with a more lengthy sheep from the same flock, but bred 
by Mr. C. Wadlow, Bridgenorth. The pair were invincible,. The 
Judges gave the preference to the greater size and gaiety displayed 
by the Bridgnorth sheep. Ten of the ninety-two pens for shearling 
rams were empty, but there was ample material left to perplex the 
Judges. Lord Chesham’s pair, bred in the old Latimer flock, accom¬ 
plished a wonderful performance, having taken both first and second 
prizes. The first tvas as ripe almost as a pear ; on the back he 
handles charmingly, his rump was neat and well covered, his head 
attractive, bone fine, and character perfection. Since then he has 
been purchased by that good all-round judge, Mr. Randell, at 
100 guineas. The sire of the first shearling was Dudmaston, a 
celebrated sheep of Mr. Mansell’s breeding. The second, whose sire 
was also Dudmaston, is bigger than the first, but he is not quite so 
plump and full of quality. Several other sheep noticed in the same 
large class were sired by a Dudmaston sheep. Shearling ewes are 
reported if not so large an entry as shearling tups, were nevertheless 
very fine and nearly uniform in type and quality. Lord Chesham’s 
Reserve gimmers were very sweet, and ten good pens were com¬ 
mended.” 
The Judges’ report says, shearling ram class :—“ It gives us great 
pleasure to bear our testimony to the excellence of this grand class 
