Scope and Contents

Elwes makes arrangements for visiting Ewart after his trip to Yorkshire. He thinks that he will soon discard the Hebridean and spotted breeds and confine himself to brown Shetlands which he will cross with Manx, Black Welsh and White Cheviots crossed with Norfolk. He also plans to try some Exmoors this year, which thrive well on Salisbury Plain. He asks whether Ewart or Cowan have any Shetland sheep arriving that year.

The year is not written on the letter.

Scope and Contents

Elwes enquires whether Ewart thinks it worthwhile to import any sheep from the Faroes, and if so, could Lord Bute or Cowan take them, as he has no room. He refers to a letter from a Mrs Taylor which mentions crossing a fox-coloured ram with a black ewe. He reports that Ewart's Blackfaces are the most profitable of his sheep so far, except for their wool. He will be selling the remainder of Ewart's hoggs.

Scope and Contents

Elwes writes on 22 June 1911 that he will order the Ronaldsay sheep for Ewart. He hopes that Ewart will compare the fleece of 'Murrat' ewe mentioned by H.C Stephens with Cowan's fleeces. Elwes is hoping to get Ewart a fleece of purebred Ryeland, which he believes makes a good cross with the Welsh sheep.

The letter from H.C Stephens, dated 19 June 1911, informs Elwes that he will send him the 'Murrat' ewes shortly, and confirms that he has sent the fleece to Ewart.

Scope and Contents The notes record that there is now a small healthy flock of Blackface-Southdown sheep crosses. The first generation has already given straightforward results and the saleable value of the fleeces and carcases have been judged favourably. It is likely that this experiment will be extended by the purchase of more Blackface ewes and a new Southdown ram, although a reciprocal crossing with Southdown ewes should ideally be carried out on a Sussex farm where the ewes would be in their natural...