kingdom]
AGRICULTURE 193 Lincoln, Kentish, Devon Longwool, South Devon, Wens- in the Leicester. In 1898 Mr Henry Dudding, Riby leydale, and Roscommon. The shortwool breeds are the Grove, Lincolnshire, obtained at auction the sum of 1000 Oxford Down, Southdown, Shropshire, Hampshire Down, guineas for a Lincoln ram bred by him, this being the Suffolk, Ryeland, Somerset and Dorset Horned, and Clun highest price ever paid for a sheep in the United Kingdom. Forest. The mountain breeds include the Cheviot, Black- He secured the same price again for a ram in 1900. faced Mountain, Herdwick, Lonk, Dartmoor, Exmoor, The Kentish or Romney Marsh is a somewhat local Welsh Mountain, and Limestone. These breeds are all breed, native to the rich tract of grazing land on the English, except the Border Leicester, Cheviot, and Black- south coast of Kent. They are hardy, white-faced Ueep, faced Mountain, which belong to Scotland; the Welsh with a close-coated longwool fleece. Mountain, which belongs to Wales; and the Roscommon, The Oxford Down is a modern breed which owes its which is Irish. The true mountain breeds are horned origin to the cross-breeding of longwool and shortwool sheep—usually the males only in the case of the Cheviot, sheep, the former being Cotswolds and the latter Hampthe Herdwick, and the Welsh, though many Cheviot rams shire Downs and Southdowns. Although it has inherited are hornless. In the only other horned breed, the Somer- the forelock from its longwool ancestors, it approximates set and Dorset, both sexes are furnished with horns. The more nearly to the shortwool type, and is accordingly remaining breeds are hornless. The white-faced breeds classified as such. An Oxford Down ram has a bold include the Leicester, Border Leicester, Lincoln, Kentish, masculine head; a poll well covered with wool, and Cheviot, Ryeland, Devon Longwool, South Devon, Somer- adorned by a topknot; ears self-coloured, upright, and of set and Dorset Horned, Dartmoor, Exmoor, and Ros- fair length; face of uniform dark brown colour; legs common. Black faces characterize the Hampshire Down short, dark in colour, and free from spots; back level and the Suffolk, whilst some amount of black is seen on and chest wide; and the fleece heavy and thick. The the faces of the Black-faced Mountain and the Lonk. breed is popular in Oxford and other midland counties. The Leicester, though sparsely distributed now, is of The Southdown was formerly known as the Sussex high interest in that it was the breed which Robert Bake- Down, as it was from the short, close pastures upon the well took in hand in the 18th century, and greatly chalky soils of the South Downs in Sussex that the breed improved by the exercise of his skill and judgment. sprang. In past times it did for the improvement of the Bakewell lived at Dishley Grange, Leicestershire, and in shortwool breeds of sheep very much the same kind of France the Leicester sheep are still called Dishleys. In work that the Leicester performed in the case of the longpast times Leicester blood was extensively employed in the wool breeds. A pure-bred Southdown sheep has a small improvement or establishment of other breeds of sheep. head, with a light brown or brownish grey (often mouseThe Leicester, as seen now, has a long tapering head, coloured) face, fine bone, and a symmetrical, well-fleshed projecting horizontally forwards ; rather long, thin ears body. The legs are short and neat, the animal being of pointing backwards; a full broad breast; fine clean legs small size compared with the other Down sheep. The standing well apart; deep round barrel, with the sides fleece is of fine, close, short wool, and the mutton is diminishing in width towards the rump; thin, soft skin, excellent. covered with fine white wool; and the top of the head The Shropshire is descended from the old native sheep protected by close short wool. The breed is maintained of the Salopian hills, improved by the use of Southdown pure upon the rich pastures of Leicestershire, Yorkshire, blood. Though heavier in fleece and a bulkier animal, and adjacent counties, but its chief value is for crossing, the Shropshire has resemblance to an enlarged Southdown. when it is found to promote maturity and to improve the As distinguished from the latter, however, the Shropshire fattening propensity. has a darker face, blackish brown as a rule, with very The Border Leicester originated after the death in 1795 neat ears, whilst its head is more massive, and is better of Bakewell, when the Leicester breed, as it then existed, covered with wool on the top and at the sides. This diverged into two branches. The one is represented by breed has made rapid strides in recent years, and it has the breed still known in England as the Leicester. The acquired favour in Scotland and Ireland as well as abroad. other, bred on the Scottish Borders, acquired the name of The Hampshire Down is another breed which owes Border Leicester. The characteristics of the latter are a much of its improved character to an infusion of Southsharp profile, with dark, full nostrils, black muzzle, well- down blood. Early in the 19th century the old Wiltshire set ears, and hair on the face and poll pure white; back horned sheep and the Berkshire Knot roamed over the broad and muscular, belly well covered with wool; legs Downs of their native counties. Both these old-fashioned clean, and a fleece of fairly long white wool. types have disappeared, but their descendants are seen in The Cotswold is an old-established breed of the Glouces- the modern Hampshire Down, which originated in a cross tershire hills, extending thence into Oxfordshire. They with the Southdown. Early maturity and great size have are big, handsome sheep, with finely-arched necks and been the objects aimed at and attained, this breed, more graceful carriage. With their broad, straight backs, curved perhaps than any other, being identified with early ribs, and capacious quarters, they carry a great weight of maturity. Whilst heavier than the Shropshire, the Hampcarcase upon clean, wide-standing legs. The white silky shire Down sheep is less symmetrical. The Hampshire fleece of long wavy wool gives the Cotswold an attractive Downs have black faces and legs, big heads with Roman appearance, which is enhanced by its stylish topknot or nose, darkish ears set well back, and a broad level back forelock. The mutton of the Cotswolds is not of high nicely filled in with lean meat. The mutton of the Down quality, but the sheep are useful for crossing purposes, as breeds is of superior quality. they impart size. The Suffolk is another modern breed, which probably The Lincoln breed is descended from the old native took its origin in the crossing of improved Southdown breed of Lincolnshire, improved by the use of Leicester rams with the old horned Norfolk ewes. The characterblood. The Lincolns are a hardy, prolific breed, but do istics of the latter are still retained in the black face and not quite equal the Cotswolds in size. They have larger, legs of the Suffolk, but the horns have been improved bolder heads than the Leicesters. Breeders of Lincoln away. * The fleece is moderately short, the wool being of rams like a darkish face, with a few black spots on the close, fine, lustrous fibre, without any tendency to mat ears. The legs should be white. The wool has a broad together. The limbs, woolled to the knees and hocks, are staple, and is denser, longer, and the fleece heavier, than clean below.. In general appearance the Suffolk is like S. I. — 25
