Scope and Contents Elwes writes from Shetland that he has not been able to find Cowan a grey ram but he has seen two tup lambs in Mr Gordon's flock which may prove to be the right colour. He reports that all the Shetlanders he spoke to inform him that the pure Shetland sheep can hardly be found now, but there are many sheep among the white and moorit which if carefully selected, bred and pastured, can be just as good. He is sure that breeding Shetland sheep could be a lucrative business, although he fears they...

Scope and Contents Ewart writes from Lerwick, Shetland, that he would be happy to arrange to keep the 15 ewes and lambs at Fairslacks for a year at a fair price, although it will be best not to add to the permanent stock until the farm is taken over by the University in October or November that year. At an exhibition on Shetland he saw a ewe as small as the one in the British Museum from Papa Stour with goat-like horns and a very short tail, as well as a hornless, short-tailed ewe with white patches at Foula;...

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Ewart writes concerning a paper which has gone missing in the post. Some of Elwes' lambs have been infected with parasites and are paralysed. He asks whether Elwes would like to give a couple of lectures indicating what vets should know about sheep as part of a course Ewart is organising.

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Elwes reports that Hall, a mutual acquaintance, approves of Ewart's paper and feels that it paves the way for something on a larger scale later. Elwes has received a pair of Rocky sheep, and asks Ewart if he wants a long-tailed black Welsh ram lamb. He has heard that the Board of Agriculture are trying to get a farm where animals for exporting will be tested for tuberculosis and imported animals received in quarantine.

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Elwes asks for feedback on his notes on Ewart's sheep, which he intends to publish. He stresses the importance of photographing the sheep, as well as taking the measurements of the weights and lengths of the fleeces. He will send the black ram lamb to Ewart shortly.

The year is not written on the letter.

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Elwes corrects the information he had provided in a previous letter about his visit to Sanderson. He states that he does not want Mr Cowan's ram lamb this year and instructs Ewart to keep him until he is a shearling and makes arrangements for the transportation of some sheep.

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Elwes writes that some of his sheep have already been shorn owing to the prevalence of fly on them. He asks Ewart to confirm when he will be visiting, as he wishes to choose which ram lambs to keep as soon as possible. He would like to stay with Ewart and see the Shetland sheep at his friends' place on his way to Aberdeen.

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Elwes writes concerning the restrictions on his sheep leaving England to be tupped, and urgently asks when Ewart can send his fat-tailed ram. He also enquires whether Ewart thinks a curly lamb could be produced by crossing a Wensleydale with a white Shetland sheep.

The year is not written on the letter.

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Elwes asks Ewart to reply to a letter concerning the old Wiltshire sheep. He reports that his ewes have just begun lambing and that Ewart's blackfaces are in the best condition of all. He has heard that the Indian sheep at 'the Zoo' are being cleared out to make room for the new rock work, and he suggests Ewart try to get them for Edinburgh Zoo.

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Elwes writes that nearly all of his sheep have now lambed. He concludes that the Soay, Manx or Hebridean sheep are not worth keeping except for ornamental value, that the Welsh spotted and Shetland sheep are hardier and that the Cheviot lamb crosses are not as hardy as one would expect. Elwes wants a wool expert to report on his various sheep at clipping time. Next season he proposes to cross Herdwicks and Shetlands more largely and to get more of the spotted breed and some Wensleydales.