THE KENT.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2714, 23 June 1925, Page 11

THE KENT.

OR ROMNEY MARSH SHEEP. At tie Annual Meeting: of the-New Zealand Romney Marsh Sheep Breed.iers Association held at the Showjgrounds yesterday, the President Mr. A. Matthews of Featherston produced lan interesting paper taken from an 'article by Mr. A. Finn of Kent. (England) which appeared in the "Country Life” dealing with the history of the Kent or 'Romney Marsh sheep. The paper was read to the meeting and in’ view of its interest to breeders generally it is published hereunuer: — From the breeder’s view-point the Romney Marsh sheep, perhaps owes less to artiheial improvement than do many British breeds, and it is claimed that this accounts for its extreme hardihood and for its popularity in lands where sheep-breeding as an art is comparatively new. The fixity of type gives a model which can be maintained, and in its long history it has conquered all the disabilities of the Marsh climate so that it readily adapts itself to kinder conditions, or the reverse, whenever it may be domiciled.

This breed of sheep has probably the longest traceable history of any in the country. The isolated position of Romney Marsh, separated as it was in early days, by the vast Kent Wealdow Forest, from other parts of the country, must have maintained sheep “bred of the soil,” pure and untainted from outside strains. Under hard conditions of flood and storm, fighting- for existence against the forces of nature, the Romney found its own salvation and by the survival only of the fittest, gained that Strong constitution which is one of its principal characteristics to-day. A grazing sheep spreading out and feeding widely and equally over the pastures, it holds its own in adverse circumstances, yet speedily responds and fattens quickly on grass-keep only. In the old-w r orld corner of Kent where the Romney sheep has its home, and where old manors and old churches have their associations in records and rent-rolls that cannot be gainsaid, we find sheep-breeding an important industry even so far back as the time of the Crusaders.

The Church was the largest owner of land in the Marsh, and a record preserved in the Cathedral Library at Canterbury of certain manors formed by .the" priory of Christchurch dates from 1275. In this year the strength of the flock seems to have been 395 head. Many wills of Inhabitants of Lydd show how important was the sheep industry there. More than fifty of them in the fifteenth century contain legacies such as the following;— In 1480 William Ellis bequeathed GO ewes. In 1488 to various legatees, Henry Polton loft 8 ewes, 4 lambs, 6 owes. In 1498 Edmund Hogan bequeathed 20 sheep or 20 shillings, a gelding and 2 swans. References to the smuggling of wool to the Continent and other illicit trading which enriched the Graziers of Kent in olden days arc also found. Old . wayside inns, where still swing the signs of "The Woolsack", The Fleece,” “The Ewe and Lamb," “The Shepherd and Crook,” etc., arc significant of the pastoral business of the district.

It is generally admitted that the chief improvements in sheep-breed-ing in England were commenced by Bakcwell, and many British Breeds claim the foundation of their flocks from his time. vve do not consider this was the earliest step in the evolution of the KSnt model. Without doubt some of the new Loicesters were brought into Kent, but not probably to any large extent. From Bakewell’s time sheepmen generally commenced to be alive to the need of improving their standard. William Price in his “History of Sheep Grazng in Romney Marsh’’ published in 1804 gives full credit to Bakewell’s influence but complains of the big coarse sheep of the Marsh still in his day, and advocates the raising of a breed of useful mediumsized animals. Again, he wants more kindly qualities and advises measures for securing early maturity. Price was a surgeon at Appiedore and not a sheep breeder, so his pronouncements have not the weight of those of the writer of the "Agricultural Survey of 179 G.” This compilation, brought out in the early days of the Royal Agricultural Society, voices opinions that cannot be disregarded. Tho flocks of Kent, according to this standard, had not only an established reputation at the birth of the nineteenth century, but were already recognised as possessing a long history. The sheep, “called in the country, Romney Marsh, but at Smithfield, where great numbers are sold every week, Kent sheep, are remarkable for arriving at an extraordinary degree of fatness at an early age, and for producing a large fleece of very long fine wool. These circumstances combined render this perhaps the most valuable of any breed of sheep in the Kingdom.” So nearly 130 years ago the breed held tho place in the judgment of exports which is claimed for it to-day. The -wool of the Romney is a demilustre or excellent quality and staple, and is considered one of the best of the British long-wools. Those sheep in all parts of the world shear a heavy even fleece.

The Romney is particularly noted for its good flesh and although the. large wethers, make heavy weights they are not wasteful. Fattened on grass only the mutton is recognised to be of very 1 superior quality and flavour, and during the season the southern markets as well as London and other centres are largely supplied with it. With a hard strong hoof, the Romney is well equipped to withstand foot-rot, and after its long and successful struggle for existence against the strenuous conditions of the Marsh, accommodates itself to all varieties of feed and climate, and will thrive and prosper in every part of the world. The ewes are prolific ahd good mothers. The history of the phenomenal success of the Romney abroad and awards in Buenos Ayres and San Francisco in the world expositions of South America and Panama must bo

emphasised. These prove that overseas champions produce wool of the same exceptional quality as is recognised at Home, and the tremendous increase of Kent flocks in new lands is proof of the claims made as to the universal adaptability of the breed. In Patagonia, Chile, the Argentinefile Falkland Islands and in yet vaster numbers on back-blocks in New Zealand and Australia these sheep of the Kent Marshes 'while proving themselves, are demonstrating afresh in the animal world the grit and virility of their British constitution.

Without fmy drastic change of model the Romney sheep has bonefitted greatly by the adoption of more recent scientific methods of breeding and selection. To retain the original hardihood of their flocks within symmetrical lines has been a first care of the practical and progressive farmers who support the breed. They have striven for early maturity and to produce a dual-purpose sheep, giving special attention to the wool, whilst aiming to improve the quality of the flesh. During the earlier part of tho past ceniury there are bpt few records of the efforts made by the Kent breeders to bring the excellency of their sheep to public notice by exhibition, but there wore many flockrnastcrs who turned their attention to careful selection, and shows were held at Canterbury, Hythe and Ashford. Rams from the best flocks were let for breeding, and annual ram sales were held at Ashford from or before 1850 which arc contipued up to tho present time. It should be mentioned that on the eastern side of the county Mr. Richard Goord of Milton next to Sittingbourne, in 1795 bred what ho called improved Kents, which were for fifty years held in high repute. Mr. Goord was presented in 1834 with a silver bowl of the value of 200 guineas by 157 subscribers in appreciation of his work. There is no evidence to make us suppose any. fresh strain of blood was introduced in Goord’s breeding but his success was due to careful selection and mating. Flocks are grazing in Kent with histories going back 150 years, owned still by the same families; and breeders kept pedigree of their stock many years before registration made it compulsory. The Kent or Romney Marsh Sheep Breeders’ Association was incorporated thirty years ago, and the Annual Flock Book is an evidence of the great care taken to secure purity of breeding. It has now 104 flock owning members. At all leading shows the breed is well represented. At the Royal show the entries of Romney sheep are now usually the largest of any long-wool-led breed. A record was in 1921 at Derby, when this breed made ninety five entries from fourteen different flocks, with a total of 223 sheep shown. Naturally the Kent County Show is the most representative, while at the Autumn Ram Show we have assembled all the best of the year. At Smithfield exhibits of high merit may always bo seen, and in the carcase competitions both the pure Kent and the Kent and Southdown cross have gained many awards. The interest and care given to breeding and selection in recent years have now resulted in a remarkable improvement in uniformity or type compared with former years.

In conclusion it is safe to say that Romney sheep now hold in the world markets the 'same high place which eighteenth century Romney did at Smithfield, and merit the pronouncement which was made in the Agricultural Survey of 1796. “Combined circumstances render this perhaps the most valuable of any breed in the Kingdom”.