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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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.

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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 Zoological Society no longer wishes to keep his three-year old Soay ram, and he wonders whether the Edinburgh Zoological Society might like him. He asks whether Ewart knows of anyone who will make him cloth made from Moorit wool.

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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.

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White provides details for identifying the Moorit sheep that have been sent to Ewart.

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White writes that it has not been possible to get untupped white ewes this season and complains that the demand for Moorit and fawn wool, as well as pure white wool, has become very scarce and a large proportion of the white is either tinged with red or yellow. He intends to start a flock of white ewes the following year,

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White writes that he has decided not to breed with any more Moorit sheep at present as the native Shetland sheep are currently a drag on the wool market. He plans to purchase a few good white ewes to put to the Merino tup.

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Gordon writes that unfortunately nobody in the district is selling a Shetland heifer in calf, but that he would be willing to put an advertisement in the Shetland News for Ewart. He reports that he doesn't have any crosses between Blackface tups and Moorit ewes, but that he will set aside any long-woolled Moorits he comes across for Ewart. He also offers to send him a white pure Shetland tup lamb with three horns.