APPENDIX T 743 



APPENDIX T 



(Refer to page 600.) 



THE SOUTHDOWN SHEEP 



The reasons for breeding and keeping sheep are three : 

 To produce mutton ; to grow wool ; to manure the land. 



In wool production, Southdowns compare favourably with 

 other breeds. They do not grow so much wool per sheep as 

 some breeds, but their fleeces are of fine quality, close, thick 

 and heavy in proportion to the size of the sheep ; while 

 Southdown wool realises the highest price per pound of any 

 native breed. As a mutton producer which is much the 

 most important qualification of the three the Southdown is 

 far ahead of any other breed of sheep. A fat eight-stone 

 Southdown fetches about the same sum as a fat ten-stone 

 sheep of the heavier breeds. Three Southdowns will consume 

 about the same quantity of food as two sheep of the larger 

 and coarser breeds. No breed surpasses the Southdown for 

 quickness of feeding and early maturity. Lambs dropped 

 early in January, near Chichester, are often sold fat to the 

 butcher in April at 453. to 495. each. 



No single breed has a monopoly of merit ; but if we place 

 all the leading breeds in competition as mutton producers, 

 and judge them by points, taking the most essential 

 qualifications to be : earliness of maturity, thriftiness, ability 

 to thrive well on poor pastures, general adaptability, freedom 

 from lameness, and " profit," as exemplified by their rapid 

 conversion of food into the highest priced mutton South- 

 downs come out an easy first. 



Reasons why the Southdown is the best Breed of Sheep 

 for " Crossing" or " Grading-up" Purposes. 



1. The Southdown is the oldest pure breed of short- 

 woolled sheep, and hence the progeny of a Southdown ram 

 inherits, to a very marked degree, the good qualities of that 

 breed. 



2. Southdown mutton has the finest flavour, and realises 

 the highest price in the market. 



