Scope and Contents

Ewart writes that he has written about the 'Murrayshire' sheep which he heard about at the Board of Agriculture. Ten Shetland fleeces and some Soay-Southdown wool have been sent to Sanderson. He asks Elwes to return the Soay-Southdown and the Siberian fleeces sent to the Bristol show as they belong to the University.

Scope and Contents Elwes writes from Shetland that he has had a pleasant and successful trip seeing 'some of the best sheep in Shetland', although he fears that there are no pure Shetland sheep left. He provides details of the sheep he has purchased. He wishes to see Ewart on his journey south to arrange the forwarding of the ewe hoggs Elwes has bought from him. He urges Ewart to examine the wool which he addressed to Wallace at the University. The letter is undated but marked 'Sunday', which,...

Scope and Contents

Elwes is sending Ewart the fleece of a Cheviot-Shetland cross from Shetland and that he will also receive a fleece of a first-prize shearling Welsh ewe. He is also enclosing photographs of sheep showing four generations and asks Ewart's advice on what would be the most interesting cross out of them. He asks when Ewart and Wallace are going to examine the wools.

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Elwes is sending Ewart samples of Iceland wool which he would like him to compare them with Cowan's. He judges it to be less fine than the Shetland and not as long as the white wool. He also lists the names of the recipients of the circular he has sent.

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Elwes says he will research some more about African sheep. Sanderson has told him that the first prize Shetland fleece at the Mid Yell Show is too fine for making good weaving material in cloth, and recommends that they stick to the Moorit colour.

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Elwes writes that the wool of the Ryeland sheep is probably the softest English-grown wool, that they make a good cross with the Welsh sheep and would probably improve the uniformity of the Shetland. He gives a negative review of Lydekker's book The Sheep and Its Cousins.

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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.

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Elwes regrets that he will no longer have room for Ewart in the car to the Scottish Highlands, but he hopes to see him before the Royal Agricultural Show in July. He thinks his Shetland wether hoggs are not worth keeping another year for their wool alone, so they had better be sold for whatever they are worth. He is sending around 40 fleeces of many crosses to Bradford to be examined and valued.

The letter is undated, although marked 'Friday'.

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Elwes asks Ewart to divide the Shetland ewes between the best woolled Shetland moorit and the best Siberian ram, as he wishes to see what influence the environment may have on the wool. He asks whether Ewart wants to purchase the Shetlands or keep them and charge Elwes for their keep.

Scope and Contents Elwes writes that he has been invited to the Blackface Sheep Breeders' Association meeting in Perth. He does not think wild sheep could be used in the improvement of British wool. He is also doubtful whether a cross between a Blackface and Soay sheep would be able to withstand the climate of the West Highlands, or whether the lower quality of their meat and wool would render the experiment worthwhile. He believes the Blackface-Cheviot or Blackface-Shetland cross would be preferable and would...