230 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



THE MUTTON BREEDS. 



The improved mutton breeds which have found most favor in the United 

 States are of the long wool — the Leiccsters, Cotswolds, and New Oxfordshires^ 

 of the short and middle wools, the South Downs, the Hampshire Downs, the 

 Shropshire Downs, and the Oxfordshire Downs. 



THE LEICESTERS. 



The Leicester sheep, under the most favorable circumstances for their de- 

 velopment, perhaps excel others in earliness of maturity, and none make bel- 

 ter returns for the amount of food consumed by thera. But they require better 

 shelter, keep, and care than any other variety. The ewes are not so prolilic 

 nor so good nurses as those of the other mutton families ; and their lambs, 

 when first dropped, demand a good deal of attention. The mutton is only 

 medium in quality, and, owing to its great amount of outside fat, is not gener- 

 ally sought to supply American tables. In England, however, these sheep 

 particularly meet the wants of a lai-ge class of producers and consumers, and 

 have been more extensively grown there than any of the largo mutton varie- 

 ties. But judging from the sheep shown in the metropolitan — Loudon — mar- 

 kets in 1858 and 1862, the comparative production is diminishing. In the 

 former year 25 per cent, of all the sheep shown were Leicesters, in the latter 

 year but 22 per cent. The wethers are marketed in England at from twelve 

 to fifteen months old, and weigh — says Professor Wilson — from 120 to 150 

 pounds each. The fleeces are composed of a long combing wool, and average 

 from 6 to 7 pounds each. Iii small, selected, breeding flocks in the United 

 States, yearlings and wethers have yielded from 10 to 15 pounds of wool, and 

 breeding ewes 8 pounds. 



THE COTSWOLDS. 



The Cotswolds are a larger, hardier, and more prolific sheep than the pre- 

 ceding, and the ewes are better mothers. They furnish a valuable combing 

 wool, and the average of fleeces in England is from 7 to 8 pounds. Selected 

 flocks produce considerably more wool. Mr. Spooner says that the wethers, 

 fattened at fourteen mouths old, in England, weigh from 15 to 24 pounds per 

 quEU'ter, and at two years old from 20 to 30 pounds per quarter. They fre- 

 quently are made to weigh considerably more in this country. Their mutton 

 is supei'ior to that of the Leicesters, the fat being less abundant and better 

 mixed with lean meat. They are much used in crossing otlier breeds and 

 varieties. They impart more hardiness, with stronger constitutions and better 

 qualities as breeders, to the Leicesters, and thicken them in the^hind quarters. 

 They give size, longer wool, and more wool to some of the short-woolled fami- 

 lies. They are decidedly favorite sheep with the breeders of long wools in 

 tlie United States. 



THE NEW OXFORDSHIRES. 



This is a comparatively new variety produced by a cross between the 

 Leicesters and Cotswolds — the Cotswold blood considerably predominating. 

 In hardiness and in most other particulars they take a middle place between 

 the original stocks ; but the few which have been introduced into the United 

 States are pronounced excellent breeders and nurses. Yearling ewes weigh, in 

 ordinary condition, from 125 to 175 pounds ; fat wethers at three years old 

 from 175 to 250 2>ounds. 



THE SOUTH DO>VNS. 



The South Downs are the oldest established short-woolled improved mut- 

 ton variety. They are too well known to require particular description. The 



