Sheep

Ewart writes that he will let Elwes know about the Ryelands ram. The cost of enclosing the sheep at the forthcoming Royal Highland Agricultural Show depends upon how many sheep Elwes is planning to exhibit; he should be able to cover the costs for the fencing by charging for the exhibition catalogue.

Ewart encloses a cheque for the ewes Elwes is sending him, and confirms the number of sheep that are being sent. He tried to cross a he-goat with some ewes but there was no progeny. He asks if Ewart would like to see Appel's book on sheep.

Ewart confirms the cost for sending the sheep. He comments on the Board of Agriculture's plans to have a small upland station.

Ewart writes that the account for the sheep from Cheltenham has already been paid. He tells Elwes to make a note of anything interesting on his travels, and if Elwes is back by March they may meet at the Zoological Congress in Monte Carlo. He reports that Elwes' two fat-rumped sheep and a dozen more ewes seem to be in lamb to the fat-tailed ram, and that the cloth Elwes sent is much admired. Now that Ewart's lectures are over for the winter he hopes to get some writing done.

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.

Ewart thanks Elwes for letting him know that the sheep arrived safely, and that he hopes the show will interest the King.

Fraser describes the birth of a wild lamb (possibly a sheep/goat hybrid) on the Inverinate estate, and his attempts to capture it to discover its gender. He also thanks the solicitors for their information regarding the boundary of the salmon fishing in Loch Duich belonging to Sir Keith Fraser, and mentions problems with poachers on the estate.

Wildman enquires as to whether Ewart could put him in touch with someone who could obtain for him a Soay sheep skin, ideally of a foetus, for his histological work on the development of the coats of British sheep.

McNicoll reports that Miss Grimond states she bought the Siberian sheep currently at Kinettles from Messrs Jamrach in London in 1908. She will contact Ewart once she has considered selling any more of the sheep.

The bottom of the page is annotated in Ewart's hand and advises not to rush things with 'the Kinettles people'.

Barker writes that he finds it impossible to get up to Scotland. He hopes that the Research Association is getting good photographs of the parent sheep to contrast with the crossbred sheep, as well as samples of wool illustrating the rate of growth.