The Breeding and Management of Sheep. 409 



difficulty of obtaining good animals from other flocks, yet as the work 

 of improvement advanced, lie acted otherwise. 



By such means my father succeeded in rearing a breed of sheep 

 which I believe will never require to be crossed with any other race 

 for the sake of improvement, which from its hardy constitution and 

 activity is adapted to very thin mountain-land, which from the wool 

 fitting tight and close to the back is able to resist cold and wet ; is 

 unrivalled in the quality of the meat, and may be recommended with- 

 out hesitation for exportation to any clime or soil, from the tropics 

 to the snowy regions of the North, if obtained from one of the 

 Sussex hills.* 



Such being the merits of the Southdowns, they have become 

 favoiu-Ites in the Midland Counties, and having Increased in size on 

 good rich pastures, have been found highly profitable, and have be- 

 come naturalised in almost every district. Still, when confined to 

 flat and feeding soils their character is gradually altered, and the 

 deterioration of the mutton follows as a natural consequence ; results 

 which can only be prevented by continual renovation by fresh blood. 



I have no wish to disparage any other breed of sheep, but I may 

 remark without oifence that the long-wools Interfere Avith the grazing 

 of bidlocks, whilst the Southdowns live where the ox would scarcely 

 exist. Even the addition of 5 sheep per acre on a good ox-pasture 

 materially interferes with the grazier's success, for the nibbling sheep 

 picks out all the best of the keep, and, if I may use the comparison, 

 gets all the meat out of the pudding. In Sussex no sheep arc allowed 

 to feed with grazing bullocks. 



The Management op Sheep in Sussex. 



There is so much that is peculiar in our district, that a Midland, or 

 even a Hampshire farmer, would be puzzled how to manage for the 

 best. One great point Is that the Down must be close fed, otherwise 

 the herbage will become coarse. 



In summer the sheep are kept upon the Downs with the aid of 

 a fold of tares or rape, the rape being sown at intervals, beginning 

 from the 1st of May. This cropping Is found a good preparation for 

 wheat on our arable land, and to the growth of wheat we still adhere, 

 in spite of present prices, for we cannot alter our system. Artificial 

 manures are found to be a desirable supplement in the growth of green 

 crops. 



For weaning purposes vetches and rape are preferred, seeds being 

 considered " doubtful " food. The wether lambs are commonly sold 

 off" at Lewes fair, and are pushed on for the market on sainfoin, to 

 which a moderate allowance of oilcake or oats may well be added, 

 the buyer being duly informed of the keep to which the lamb has 

 been accustomed. Our lambs are brought out into the field at a very 

 early age, it being a common saying with our shepherds : " Don't 

 tender the lamb, they do best in the open." 



* It may be stated, tliat in Scotland Mr. Watson experienced fewer casualties 

 with Southdowns than with Cheviots. 



