Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-05-11
STOCK RAISING &.
THE LINCOLN SHEEP.

THE LINCOLN SHEEP.
The following account of this admirable
breed. is taken from the Shepherds Manual,
a very valuable book, just published by Or
ange Judd g. Co.:
The Lincoln is the heaviest bodied sheep
in existence. In 1926 a three-shear sheep of
this breed 40 months old, or about that age,)
was slaughtered in England, which dressed
964 Tbs. the quarter; a two-shear sheep dress
ed 81 lbs. per quarter, and a yearling dressed
II Tbs. per quarter. In a report on Lincoln
sheep, it is stated that thirty 14months-old
wether lambs, slaughtered at Lincoln Fair,
averaged 40 Tbs. each, dressed weight, and
100 together of the lambs clipped IA lbs. OF
washed wool apiece. The usual practice OF
the Lincolnshire breeders is to feed the sheep
until about two years old, when they will
nave yielded a second fleece weighing 10 to
Ia lbs, and will dress 120 to 100 lbs. dead
weight for the butcher. The wool OF this
breed is very long and lustrous, measuring
nine inches and over. The origin of the
present highly improved breed was a race
OF heavy-bodied sheep, which in its pure
state is now practically extinct. It inhabit-
ed the low al1uvial flats of Lincolnshire, and
the adjoining localities, on the eastern coasts
of England. These sheep were large and
coarse, with a long, ragged, oily fleece,
which nearly swept the ground. They fed
slowly, but made much inward fat, and their
meat was well favored, fine grained, juicy,
and not too much overlaid with tat Oh the
outside. A century ago this was the estab-
lished character of these sheep. When the
improved Leicesters of Mr.. Blackwell came
into notoriety, the intelligent Lincolnshire
breeders obtained some of his rams, and by
admixture of their blood, in time established
a distinctly new breed. In connection with
asystem of farming, in which heavy crops
of roots and green fodder were the chief
productions, this improved breed became
fixed In its character as the heaviest produc-
ers of mutton and wool in the world. In
one instance 263 lbs. of wool was taken from
a A-months old lamb. From 1862 to 1870
the majority Of prizes for long-wool sheep
at English fairs were taken by the Lincolns,
but it was not until the former date that the
breed was given a distinct place as a sepa-
rate class at these shows. Since then it has
achieved great prominence, and become very
popular for crossing upon other breeds, for
the production of feeding sheep, and for its
yield of long, lustrous, and worsted woods.
THE Lincoln requires the best and richest
soils and succulent heritage, and can only
thrive under the best management and very
high farming. AT present it is questionable
if we in this country rave any place in our
agriculture which this sheep can profitably
fill, unless it be in a very few instances,
where the highest skill of the breeder is ex-
ercised under peculiarly favorable conditions
of soil and climate. A fine flock of these
sheep was imported by Mr.. Richard Gibson.
of London, Canada, and has been carefully
and successfully cultivated by him. A por-
ton of Mr.. Gibson's flock has been recently
purchased by Mr.. William A. King, of Min
neapolis, MINI. Mr.. George Grant, of Kan
sas, also has a flock. Their adaptability to
to our climate is therefore in a fair way of
being thoroughly tested.
WOOL PACKING.
Henry Stewart, III his Shepherds Manual,
thus tells how this work should be done,
and then shows the advance in value that