SHEEP. 101 



dinner tabic. Now mutton is found at every tavern, and trav- 

 ellers partake of it nearly as often as they do beef, while it is 

 not unknown upon the table of the private citizen ; and if we 

 could only induce our farmers to furnish us with a good article, 

 which they might easily if they would only raise the Southdown, 

 the Leicester and Cotswold, it would be very easy to make the 

 people understand that it was to their advantage to purchase it 

 in preference to any other meat ; for it is much more nutritious 

 than beef, far more healthy than pork, and contains much more 

 nutrition, and can be produced at a far less cost, and they need 

 entertain no fears that the market will soon be overstocked. 



There are seven contributors and seventeen entries, and only 

 three specimens of pure bred, long-woolled sheep. Mr E. P. 

 Champney, of Grafton, exhibits an Oxford Down ram four 

 months old ; William U. Maynard, of Shrewsbury, exhibits a 

 Leicester ram — a very good one ; and G. C. Rice exhibits a very 

 fine formed Leicester' ram lamb, four months old, which weighs 

 110 pounds. 



Mr. Albert Kelley, of Auburn, exhibits five ewes, cross with 

 the long wool and native. G. C. Rice, of Worcester, exhibits 

 ten ewes, Southdown, and some long-woolled breed. William 

 U. Maynard exhibits eight ewes, Leicester and Southdown. 

 This cross is held in higher estimation for mutton by epicures 

 than other crosses or any breed, while its wool for many purposes 

 is excellent, but is surpassed by the pure breed for braids and 

 lustres. Mr. F. M. Wood, of Grafton, exhibits five Merino 

 ewes, three rams, and two ram lambs five months old. J. H. 

 Wall, Jr., of Leicester, exhibits five Southdown ewes, one 

 Southdown ram, and three ram lambs five months old. 



Your Committee had some difficulty with classing the South- 

 downs, as the society only offered premiums for long wools and 

 short wools. The Southdown properly belongs to neither class, 

 but is a middle-woolled sheep. But as it did formerly belong, 

 before the days of improvement, to the short wool, and as it is 

 a mutton sheep, and that of the very best, we classed it with the 

 short wools, and gave to the five ewes the first premium for 

 short wools. Had this not been a mutton market, and sheep- 

 raisers not depending upon wool for profits, the Committee 

 would certainly have decided differently. 



