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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



superior to his, and several have remarkable docks : 

 wool of first quality and weight. We took pains to 

 inspect the whole lot, and give to them our unqualified 

 approbation. Tlie Duke of Beaufort, JSlr. T. Ellmau, 

 iVlr. Selby, and Messrs. Moore, Boys, and Orme Foster 

 are very creditable exhibiters in this class, but we did 

 not notice any point in these animals worthy especial 

 remark. 



Class II. — Rams of any other age. — With this 

 class we were much interested. Here were several old 

 friends' sheep, that we knew last year, and souae even 

 earlier than that. Here was Mr. Jonas Webb's Paris 

 sheep, for which he there refused 500 gs , and then 

 could only obtain second place at Chelmsford ; here 

 was hii sheep of high promise at Chelmsford, but there 

 unnoticed, though now he takes first prize. Here we 

 trace the descent of numerous flocks : Mr. Overman's 

 shearlings, from his prize sheep, and older sheep from 

 Mr. Lugar's prize sheep at Gloucester ; Lord Wal- 

 singham's, from his Chelmsford prize sheep. And 

 then we refer to the prices brought by some of this 

 favoured breed. No. 555 stands before us. His price 

 last year 500 guineas ; this year he is let for 197 guineas, 

 for America, where he is going at the close of the 

 season, nd yet, No. 555 has only second place here. 

 Many breeders can point to sheep making almost fa- 

 bulous prices; the Duke of Rutland, Lord Walsing- 

 ham, Mr. Overman, and Mr. Rigden standing high in 

 this department of business. Mr, Scott Hayward, Mr, 

 Sainsbury, and Mr, Pope are also making great prices 

 of their rams. In this class. No, 556 takes the first 

 prize of £2f). He is a splendid specimen of the breed 

 — fine and full in form, and noble in appearance. He 

 begins with a head of exceedingly good form ; and the 

 colour of his face, to which he is much indebted, is just 

 what fastidious Southdown men so highly approve ; ears 

 not quite to our taste in size or setting ; neck full, and 

 well set to head ; shoulders and chine remarkably good 

 and wide, with a tremendous chest, and good plaits ; 

 his chine and back very wide, and well covered, cracked 

 throughout its whole length ; ribs correctly springing, 

 forming a capital rotund frame, of great depth. His 

 girth is great (nearly five feet) ; his plaits are full, but 

 not set out, being one regular fulness ; his loin and 

 hips are wide, the latter perhaps causing a defect, from 

 being set too backward. The first rib and hips are too 

 far apart, and cause a slight letting down of the body 

 near the flank ; the rump is short, and is not good ; 

 dock fair. His thighs are not heavy ; his legs too up- 

 right, and too far under him ; twist and flank not good, 

 but fair ; his wool all you can fairly desire, and a good 

 quantity of it. No. 555 is, we think, a better sheep — 

 indeed, we have it on record that this was our opinion 

 last year ; and we still adhere to it. He has all the 

 good proportions of the above, with none of his defects. 

 We care not for his somewhat darker face. He has a 

 better fore-quarter, comprising all the proportions 

 named above, and a much better hind-quarter; his 

 rump first-rate ; twist, thighs, and flank exceedingly 

 good. We query if we ever saw a more complete 

 animal of his class — so handsome, so widely propor- 

 tioned, and so good. His wool is quite equal to No, 

 656. He is more noble in appearance, and is two 

 inches wider girth. He obtained the second prize of 

 ^15, No. 557 is highly commended, and possesses 

 most of the above recommendations. Mr. Rigden 

 shows some very good sheep in this class. No. 539, we 

 think, stood third of the reserved sheep in the class. 

 To describe a good Southdown, is to describe him. His 

 back is exceedingly good, and dock very fat ; his general 

 proportions all right, and plenty of wool, Mr. Sains- 

 bury 's are strong, heavy, good sheep, six in number. 

 Be it false taste or what, Mr. Sainsbury's stock are 



very good, but not in perfect proportion : we think he 

 might alter it. The girth of one was good — near 4 ft, 

 10^ in. Mr. Hayward's denote good character, and 

 attention to proportions ; and this must be given, or 

 prizes cannot be obtained. Mr. Harding's are fair, 

 useful sheep, as is Mr. Farquharson's old sheep. Mr. 

 Overman's lot, we think, stand next to Mr. Webb's in 

 useful character, though not so compact as Mr. Rig- 

 den's. There, expansion of frame always pleases, as 

 it denotes great capacity for fattening and carrying 

 heavy weights of flesh. 



The class of Shearling Ewes. — In this class Mr, H, 

 Overman obtained both the first and second prizes with 

 two pens of splendid animals. This is an achievement 

 for which many spend their strength and talent in vain. 

 We congratulate the breeder of these animals, for 

 seldom, if ever, have we seen them surpassed — such 

 uniformity of frame, large proportions, and great beauty. 

 The rams certainly show many fine qualities, but we 

 must go to the females for real beauty and fine contour of 

 frame. These have it in an eminent degree : backs 

 even, fat, and good throughout ; fine open well- 

 favoured countenance, with such looks as to rivet your 

 attention ; the form all you can desire, so as to make 

 it tiresome to describe. You have only to imagine a 

 perfect Southdown ewe, and you have the whole ten be- 

 fore you, 591 took the first prize of ^20, which was 

 correctly awarded ; and 590 the second prize of ^10. 

 The Earl of Radnor competed in this class, but his ewes 

 were too delicate in frame and looks. Lord Walsing- 

 ham's were pens of good animals of more frame and sub- 

 stance, as also were Mr. Sainsbury's and Mr. Lucas's 

 pens, all of which were very properly commended. Mr. 

 Scott Hayward again showed, but without success ; the 

 same stiff character in the wool, and the sheep rather 

 diminutive. Mr. Pope's pen deserves notice, as does 

 Mr. Forster's. The Duke of Richmond's were very 

 pretty, but small, and owing to accidental burning in 

 the railway truck did not, of course, show favourably. 

 The Duke of Beaufort is regularly coming into the field 

 with very acceptable Southdowns ; we heartily wish him 

 success, and trust he will long be an exhibiter, and not 

 long an unsuccessful one. One or two other creditable 

 exhibiters showed, but we have nothing to remark. And 

 in closing our observations on the Southdown classes, 

 we cannot deprive ourselves of the pleasure of congra- 

 tulating the Southdown breeders on their successful 

 efforts to produce such an extraordinary show of animals ; 

 never was a better or more numerous exhibition of first- 

 class animals brought together, and the few dimensions 

 we took proved that the breed does not by any means 

 di"generate. We are not individually possessed of the 

 idea that pure Southdown sheep are the most profitable 

 animals in the world to breed, but they are certainly the 

 most popular; and they are carried up to a greater per- 

 fection than any other breed, and make the most money. 

 We should like to see on many farms comparative ex- 

 periments carried out, to prove which variety of stock 

 is really most beneficial to the community ; for much as 

 we admire the talent and spirit displayed by Jonas Webb 

 and others, we have grave doubts if these crack breeds 

 are the most useful for the general public. We desire 

 to grow the greatest quantity of food in the least time. 

 Will Southdowns produce it, or must you resort to a 

 larger variety of sheep ? We beg the attention of our 

 nobility and gentry to this important phase of the sub- 

 ject. Let each give up his favourite hobby, and cater 

 for the general good, 



Long-woollcd S/icep not Leicesters. — We never 

 saw this class of sheep better represented at any 

 meeting of the Society, They were more nume- 

 rous at Lincoln, but at that time many were brought 

 forward for sale. The number was made up of first- 



