330 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



began the development of the breed, striving for better 

 mutton form and constitution, and at the same time to 

 improve the fleece. He made rapid progress in fixing 

 the present features of the Southdown. About 1820, 

 Jonas Webb began breeding Southdowns with a selection 

 from the Ellman and other flocks, and he proved to be 

 the genius among the breeders. He built on Ellman's 

 foundation, and produced this superior mutton sheep, of 

 larger size and better feeding quality. The Southdown 

 was thus the first of the Down or middle-wool breeds to 

 be improved, and has been employed in the development 

 of the other Down breeds, particularly the Shropshire, 

 Oxford and Hampshire. It early became the breed of 

 the English royalty and aristocracy, and remains so to 

 the present time. 



377. History in America. The first authentic impor- 

 tation into America was by Dr. Rose, of Seneca county, 

 New York, in 1803. The sheep of this importation, how- 

 ever, were crossed with Merinos in 1813. In 1823, Sidney 

 Hawes, of New York, made another importation and 

 sold thirty-six ewes and two rams to C. N. Bement of 

 Albany. In 1834, Francis Rotch, of Otsego county, New 

 York, imported six ewes and a ram from the Ellman flock. 

 In the same year, Isaac Maynard, of Coshocton county, 

 Ohio, made an importation. During the forties and fifties 

 of the same century, while wool was very low and Merinos 

 falling into disfavor, Southdowns became disseminated 

 very widely. With the revival of interest in Merinos from 

 the high prices for wool following the Civil War, South- 

 downs fell into disfavor, and because of their low wool- 

 yield and the relative importance of wool in this country, 

 they have not regained wide popularity in the North or 

 on the ranges. South of the Ohio river, however, es- 



