THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



MARCH, 1858. 



PLATE I. 



SOUTHDOWN RAMS, 



THE PROPERTY OF MB. JONAS WEBB, OF BABRAHAM, CAMBRIDGE. 



At the Salisbury Meeting of the Royal Agricul- 

 tural Society Mr. Jonas Webb distinguished him- 

 self more than ever as a breeder of Southdown 

 sheep. In the shearling ram class there were be- 

 tween sixty and seventy exhibited ; and the Duke 

 of Richmond, Mr. Rigden, Lord Walsingham, Mr. 

 Overman, Mr. Ellman, Mr. Sainsbury, Mr. Far- 

 quharson, and Mr. Harding were amongst the 

 competitors. From these the judges sorted out 

 just half-a-dozen sheep. After much deliberation 

 they gave two of these the prizes, they specially 

 commended two more, and they highly commended 

 the other two. The three couple were the property 

 of Mr. Webb. In the aged rams he again stood 

 first and second; with another highly commended. 



The four rams in our plate are the four prize 

 sheep. The one at the extreme right of the picture 

 is the first prize old sheep, a two-year-old when 

 shown at Salisbury. He was exhibited at Chelms- 

 ford the year previous, but not on that occasion 

 noticed by the judges. He is a splendid specimen 

 of the breed; fine and full in form, and noble in 

 appearance. He begins with an exceedingly good 

 head, and the colour of his face, to which he is 

 much indebted, is just what Southdown breeders 

 so much fancy. His neck is full and well set in to 

 the head; shoulders and chine remarkably good 

 and wide, with a tremendous chest and good plaits ; 

 his back very wide and full covered ; ribs correctly 

 springing, forming a capital rotund frame of great 

 depth. His girth is nearly five feet, his loin and hips 

 wide, but rump rather short, thighs not heavy, and 

 legs a little too upright. His wool is all that can 

 be desired, and plenty of it. — First prize of 25 sovs. 



The second prize aged sheep is at the other ex- 

 treme of the group. This ram is yet more famous. 

 He was the first prize sheep at the Great Interna- 

 tional Exhibition in Paris, m 1856, and the second 

 prize yearling at Chelmsford in the same year. 

 Considerable discussion, it will be remembered, 

 ensued as to the latter award ; many contending 

 he should have been first. He has all the good 

 proportions of his companion, but with a some- 

 what darker face, a famous fore and hind quarter, 

 a first-rate rump, with twist, thighs, and flank ex- 

 ceedingly good. There has seldom been a more 

 complete specimen of the Southdown — so hand- 

 some, so widely proportioned, or so generally good . 

 — Second prize, of 15 sovs. 



The centre sheep of the three standing up is the 

 first prize yearling ram. He is a very fine animal, 

 and quite worthy of the distinction he obtained. 

 He is of great size, exceedingly well proportioned 

 throughout, and bids fair to make up into quite a 

 first-class ram. His deep frame, wide chine and 

 shoulders, everywhere well covered — his broad fat 

 back and springing ribs, with capital flank and 

 underpart, all denote this. — First prize, of 25 sovs. 



The second, lying down, is scarcely inferior. He 

 has a very correct frame, broad chine and shoulder, 

 well covered, full rump, dark and wide full twist, 

 and unusually good thigh. — Second prize, of 15 

 sovs. 



Mr. Webb has used all these rams himself; while, 

 as some further test of their merit, we may mention 

 that many other of the Southdown breeders 

 honestly admitted that they never sent out such 

 good sheep as they did to Salisbury. 



PLATE 11. 

 HOBBIE NOBLE; 



A THOROUGH-BRED STALHOxX, THE PROPERTY OF MR. THOMAS GROVES, OF FLOMPTON HALL, 



KNARESBOROUGH. 



Hobbie Ntible, bred by Lord John Scott, in 

 1849, is by Pantaloon, out of Phryne, by Touch- 

 stone, her dam Decoy, by Filho da Puta — Finesse, 

 by Peruvian. 



Pantaloon, by Castrel, out of Idalia, by Peru- 



OLD SERIES.] 



vian, was the sire of many good horses, including 

 Satirist, a winner of the St. Leger, and Ghuznee, 

 a winner of the Oaks. 



I Pliryne, bred by Lord Westminster, in 1810, is 

 1 also the dam of Elthiron, Windhound, Miserrima, 

 O [VOL. XLVIII.— No. 3. 



