Scope and Contents Elwes writes that he has seen Bateson in London, who is of the opinion that the pure breeds of domestic animals, including crosses selected by experts, should be represented at the British Museum gallery and that he would be happy to sign a letter to the Trustees if Ewart drafts one. He would like to see a sample of the wool from Ewart's 'so-called Siberian sheep', which Sanderson says is valuable, and enquires about the country of origin and quarantine arrangements for Lord Bute's long...

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Elwes writes that he has received a sample of wool and asks if the sheep is from Siberia. He is sorry to hear that Wallace is opposing Ewart.

The year is not written on the letter.

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Elwes writes that he has presented the three sheep skins collected by Carruthers to the British Museum on condition that they are mounted at once. He describes the wool of the sheep in the Calcutta Zoological Gardens and recommends that Ewart sees them when he goes. He has applied for a space at Bristol (the Royal Agricultural Show) the following year to exhibit a selection of his pure breeds and crosses, and asks Ewart to join him.

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Elwes writes that he is ready to send his four fat-tailed ewes to Ewart, and that he is also sending some wool samples from Colonel Powney's sheep. He also encloses a letter concerning sheep which may be the Swiss Bundtner, and recommends that Ewart write to the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture to enquire where the Karakul sheep are to be seen.

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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 provides some suggestions regarding the transportation of the sheep to Cheltenham from Edinburgh for the Royal Agricultural Show in Bristol. He will send Ewart details of the valuation of the wool for the guidance of Ewart's committee as to future crossing experiments.

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Elwes writes that he is enclosing a letter from Brodie about his sheep (letter not present). He asks if Ewart would like to see the sheep skins he has been sent which are dressed for mats and said to be Icelanders from a farm which Sanderson told him about.

The year is not written on the letter.