Lambs

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.

Elwes asks Ewart to approve a short notice of their exhibit for insertion in press information. He believes it would be more interesting to show the Southdown-Soay cross and lamb instead of the Wensleydale.

Elwes writes that he has returned from a successful trip to Nepal and Sikkim. He has got a fine lot of lambs which he wishes to show Ewart before they are clipped. He has some of the so-called Wallachian sheep offered to him from North Hungary, but he cannot get leave from the Board of Agriculture to bring them over, and asks whether Ewart could do any better.

The year is not written on the letter.

Elwes reports that Hall, a mutual acquaintance, approves of Ewart's paper and feels that it paves the way for something on a larger scale later. Elwes has received a pair of Rocky sheep, and asks Ewart if he wants a long-tailed black Welsh ram lamb. He has heard that the Board of Agriculture are trying to get a farm where animals for exporting will be tested for tuberculosis and imported animals received in quarantine.

Elwes asks for feedback on his notes on Ewart's sheep, which he intends to publish. He stresses the importance of photographing the sheep, as well as taking the measurements of the weights and lengths of the fleeces. He will send the black ram lamb to Ewart shortly.

The year is not written on the letter.

Elwes corrects the information he had provided in a previous letter about his visit to Sanderson. He states that he does not want Mr Cowan's ram lamb this year and instructs Ewart to keep him until he is a shearling and makes arrangements for the transportation of some sheep.

Crichton-Stuart reports that the Shetland-Siberian sheep are doing well. About half of this year's lambs have the long wool and he proposes keeping one ram. As the breeding season is approaching he suggests meeting with Ewart in Edinburgh to discuss arrangements.

Alexander thanks Ewart for his hospitality on his visit and writes that he found 18 new lambs on his return home, including a set of triplets.

Alexander is relieved that Elwes enjoyed inspecting his sheep, although he considers Elwes' aim of trying to manufacture a breed of sheep with the hardiness of Welsh and the size and fleece of Lincoln longwools to be an impossibility. He reports the birth of a fat-tailed ram lamb out of his best ewe. Ewart should treat Mr [Guracy?]'s letter with caution, as he is an untrained observer and Alexander has known him to make errors.

Alexander writes that he has not got another Przewalski's horse so far and the mares are not in foal. He has informed Colonel Oliphant of this. He is disappointed at his cross-bred lambs but the Africans and the fat tails are better. He asks whether Ewart has got permission from the Board of Agriculture to use his fat-tailed ram.