188 OXFORD SHEEP. 



fleece. The lambs produced were growthy and early ma- 

 turing. 



Mr. Druce called these sheep his "Half-breds." In 1854 he 

 began mating wholly within his half-breds, and from that 

 time on no foreign blood has been introduced. Up to this 

 time the classes of sheep at the Royal were Leicesters and 

 Southdowns, Longwools (not Leicesters), and Shortwools (not 

 Southdowns). In 1860 the Shropshires obtained a separate 

 classification at Canterbury, and very soon after this in 1862 

 the other breeds were given a place. Among these was the 

 new breed, called, up to 1856, Down-Cotswold, but from that 

 time on named after the county in which it took its rise, the 

 Oxford Down. 



The Oxford is the largest of the Down breeds. It has an 

 excellent mutton form and gives good result in crossing upon 

 other breeds for the production of early maturing lambs. Its 

 fleece is heavier and coarses than that of the Shropshire. 



The Oxford is a very popular sheep in the United States, 

 Canada, and, in fact, all of the British colonies. 



Because of its large form the Oxford does better on arable 

 land where food is plentiful. It is better suited where in- 

 tensive farming is carried on than to sections where forage 

 is scanty. 



In 1884 the American Oxford Down Sheep Record Associa- 

 tion was organized to look after the interests of the breed. 



