The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-12 00:00:00

12.1L10
16

WEYHILL GREAT SEEEP FAIR.

I The great six days' fair commenced on Wednes-
day, for sheep only ; the second day is for beasts
and horses, t'L third day for cheese and hops, the
fourth day the principal hop fair, and the two last
chiefly for implements of husbandry, toys, and
miscellaneous goods of every description. Booths
standing the year round for this fair alone are
rented foil the six days at from £lO to £3O each by
innkeepers and retailers of provisions, the hop booths
also at a price, as also covered offices for the hop
factors selling by samples. In the morning, before
daybreak, droves of sheep were being driven on
every road leading to Weyhill, many being penned
by six o'clock and sold by breakfast time, the chief
number being cleared away by noon. The sum
realised for the hiring of sheep pens this year
amounted to £3OO odd, which goes to the church
clergyman of Weyhill, who has the letting of the
same.

The well-known breeders of Stockbridge, An-
dover, Whirwell, Overton, Whitchurch, the three
Wallops, the Tarrants, and other parishes in
Hants, besides many other breeders of Down sheep
from Sussex and Wilts, had some splendid droves
at the fair, the judges computing the gross number
of Southdowns to be 200,000, and of half-bred ang
other sheep of 50,000 more.
At the opening of the fair sales were but slow,
as the prices asked were too high to suit the buyers,
but as the morning advanced a reduction of 2s. per
sheep was submitted to ; then flock after flock
changed owners, and were driven away in all
directions.

Hampshire Downs were most in demand, best
ewes selling at from 408 up to 50s each; second
quality from 38s to 40s each; a few very superior
ditto making above the top figure above named.
Some fine tegs were sold at from 40s to 45a for
sheep, others at from 36s to 40s; best lambs at from
36s to 408; a few reaching 42s to 445; fat wethers
realised full 5s per stone of 81b ; ditto, ewes, 4s 4d
ditto.

Sussex Downs were also excellent in quality,
and rather larger in size than the Hants flocks,
consequently some lots realised 2s per sheep more
money.

Wilts Downs, smaller than either of the above-
named sheep, were in good demand, yet prices varied
considerably ; best ewes not making more than 38s
to 40s each ; tegs from 34s to 36s ; limbs, 30s to
32s ; fat sheep, at from 4s 4d to 5s per 81b.
The horned sheep being chiefly those left from
Appleshaw fair were not of the finest quality, or
the size of the Somerset and Dorset sheep generally,
still many were large and good, making good prices,
so that by noon nearly all the sheep of every size
and breed had changed owners, The amount of
money realised was estimated by competent judges
at nearly half a million, and the quantity of sheep
at the fair more than 240,000, being an excess of

10,000 over the number in 1859, and 60,000 ditto
in 1858, prices being 4s per sheep dearer than those
sold in the first-named year, and Gs each above the
prices of 1858. _ _

The knp fair this year will cut but a sad figure
compared with the last four or five productive
years, as.many of the Farnham growers have few
pockets 'to bring of this year's growth—the duty of
that to. and district not being expected to realise
£2,000, against from £14,000 to £20,000 other
years.