Rams

Lort writes that he will send Mr Pocock one St Kilda ewe and a Welsh ewe. He offers to send Ewart a ewe out of a St Kilda by a Shropshire ram and a lamb by a Red Manx as well as the Welsh ewe lambs and St Kilda ewes.

Lort states that he has not tried the 'Soa' ram and Manx ewe cross, and provides details about the lambs from 'Soa' ewe and Manx ram crosses, as well as from Manx/Southdown crosses. He asks if Ewart would like any red wethers.

Lort writes that he won't send any Manx ram and 'Soa' ewe crosses as there is a chance of them being mated. However he will send Ewart some first crosses from Southdown and 'Soa' ewes that are unmated, and provides details about their transportation. He also asks if Ewart would like a Manx ram or adult 'Soa' ram.

Lort asks Ewart for confirmation that he has received the bill for the sheep, and asks him if he wants an adult 'Soa' ram, a few Manx crosses or a fine pure-bred Manx ram.

Noble thanks Ewart for his letter and admits that he had overlooked the fact that no wild sheep have four horns. He is currently trying to breed rams with both pairs of horns turned down, but is having difficulty. He hopes Ewart will visit him when next in London.

Elwes writes that he has looked over the ram and proposes to send it to Edinburgh Zoo or to Ewart if he wishes to have it, as well as the horned white ram that he bought as an Icelander. He wonders if the Edinburgh Museum would like to have his best old Hebridean. He describes the sheep crosses he is planning to conduct.

Letter is undated but marked 'Sunday'.

Elwes writes that he has just returned from Formosa and invites Ewart to visit him in time for the shearing of the ewes. He will also invite Lort and Bateson to settle which rams are to be kept for future experiments.

Elwes writes that some of his sheep have already been shorn owing to the prevalence of fly on them. He asks Ewart to confirm when he will be visiting, as he wishes to choose which ram lambs to keep as soon as possible. He would like to stay with Ewart and see the Shetland sheep at his friends' place on his way to Aberdeen.

Elwes writes that he has heard that the sheep at Greystoke will be transported once the restrictions in Peebles are lifted. He recommends that Ewart take a photograph of the Foula ewes while they are alive. He is buying some of Lort's Manx and Manx-Soay crosses, and a black bull with a broad white belt. He would like to put his fat-tailed ewes to Ewart's fat-tailed ram.

The year is not written on the letter.

Elwes will send his fat-tailed sheep to be served by Ewart's ram and could also send some 'so-called Siberian' sheep which he is buying. He asks Ewart to confirm when would be a suitable time for him to visit to see his Fairisle sheep, and to settle what crosses he will make to exhibit at Bristol. He mentions some brown and white sheep of an old Spanish breed belonging to Lady Campbell.

The year is not written on the letter.