The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1893-09-29
SHEEP.


A Remarkable Herd of Shropsb!res Large
and Superior Ewes of SowthdOwns.
The show of sheep was both the largest
and hest the fair has ever had. The great
feature of 1t was the Shropshire sheep from
the farm of H w Keyes, breeder of these
sheep, Holster tristan cattle, trotting horses.
French working horses and Yorkshire Pigs
al Newbury or North L'ttletOn, N H. Mr.
Keyes IL both breeder and importer. and he
has impored 80 Shrop hires this year, all SC
lected from the very best focks OF England
| without regard to expense, and most OF them
to exhibit at Chicago, though 1t was found
| impossible to take them there. The ShroT-
shires In which be has been engaged for
years have been bred In England entirely for
mutton and are q dIstinctivey mutton breed
In the las two weeks In the sheep sales over
there. ever dozen yearIings have sold for
S. 200 and upward. and one ram was let for
the season for 300. The Shropshire wool is
what is known as the medium grade which
at the present time commands the highest
price. The heeces of the ewes aver ge about
10 pounds and OF the bucks 20 pounds or
more. MIR Keyes' Shropshire flock now mum
bers $50 including the bone b: ed and I'M
ported. What he considers the pride OF the
flock Is " airing weighing 200 pounds, that
was selected In England cut Of 400 bucks.
There IS an imported two years old show
buck that weighs 32 pounds, another year
ling that weighs 27S, an imported ram lamb
l48, and pen of three of the best yearllng
ewes that could be bought 10 England which
were brought over expressly for Chicago and
average 256 pounds in weight. There are II
m IRE yearIinea that average In weight 12o 10
lao lbs. Mr. Keyes thinks that the crossing
OF the Shropshires upon native ewes gives the
verv finest mutton lamb.
There was fine exhibit, and the largest |
one on the grounds. of ID s Pratt's full-bloOded |
Southduw ns, Al in number, which have been |
bred from full FLOODED bucks for twenty |
years. The pens of bucks and ewes took all
The tr'z,s offered. Mr. Pratt also took second |
on ytarliDgs, and on the flock as flock, the
taking first in these lines. The
chief BUCK of the flock was got by the priz.
buck at Chicago exhibited by the Billings es-
tate. Mr. Pratt Is Of c0uls firm In the faith
that the Soutbcown is the only practicable
sheep for this section, because go rugged and
hardy, and such flock as be has would be
likely to convince any owner.
Another superior show of S1uthdOwrs. sew
30 IN number, was that of j ID Wheat IN Put.
1ey. One ram was bought from the Billings
arm last fall and is graz dson OF Royal
sedding." tie prize ram Of England. which
vas imported by j II Warren Of Hoosick
Falls. Another was sired ny one of the Bill
ngs registered lambs. The first premium
or ram with flock OF bis get was taken by
bis buck.
W W Ball of Winchester, had some
uperior Shropshires and grad crossed with
1ampsh redowns. One sired by his famous
Id buck which Ia his day took several pre-.
NUNS here, was notable animal and :
Weighed about 400 pounds, being lhree.f oufihe
thoroughbred. He took first and second pre- /,
mum. W f Richardson exhibited some fine
rade Southdowns. S L Wheat OF Putney ,
nropshire lambs, l. F Putnam Of Vernon a t,
thoroughbred horned Dorset buck and j d =
tadway some Southdown yearilng bucks and :
lso Elk thoroughbred Southdowps, G Stat :
ord's Prospect farm had large and good !
how of grades of various kinds, e Allen
ad two eve lambs, Hampshiredown grades :
ives. :