66 OXFORDSHIRE DOWN SHEEP. 



Hampshire and in some instances South Down ewe with a 

 Cotswold ram most commonly the former, for it gave 

 increased size and the putting the crosses together : by con- 

 stant attention and weeding, a most successful" result has been 

 accomplished, producing a kind of sheep that possess, with 

 uniformity of character and hardiness of constitution, large 

 frames, good fleeces, aptitude to fatten, and mutton of superior 

 quality." 



Mr. Howard quotes the Messrs. Druce, father and son, who 

 were among the leading originators and most successful 

 exhibitors of the variety, as publishing the fact that their flock 

 originated from a cross between the South Down and 

 Cotswold. The younger Druce says: "The flocks generally 

 drop their lambs in the month of February, and at 13 or 14 

 months old they are ready for market, weighing upon an 

 average 10 stones [140 Ibs.] each, with a fleece varying from 

 7 to 10 Ibs. The ewes are good mothers and produce a great 

 proportion of twins." Mr. Druce, senior, commenced this 

 cross in 1833. Mr. Hitchman, an extremely successful breeder 

 and exhibitor of them, started five years earlier, crossing 

 the Hampshire Down and 'Cotswold. His tegs [weaned 

 lambs] when shorn would average, in 1860, eleven stone 

 [154 Ibs.,] and his entire clip of wool 7 Ibs. per fleece. 



These sheep were first introduced into the United States 

 by Richard S. Fay, Esq., of Lynn, Massachusetts, and the 

 Hon. William C. Rives, of Virginia, who selected and 

 imported their sheep together. Mr. Fay had a considerable 

 extent of rough pasturage better adapted to sheep than other 

 animals, and he first stocked it with fine-wooled sheep and 

 subsequently with crosses between them and South Downs. 

 Neither experiment resulted satisfactorily. A residence of 

 several years in England induced him to turn his attention to 

 the English breeds, and he came to the conclusion that they 

 would better answer his purposes. Living two years among 

 the Shropshires he was highly pleased with them, but on 

 going to see Mr. Gillet's and Mr. Druce's Oxfordshire Downs 

 he gave^hem the preference, and purchased and sent home a 

 ram and ten ewes of this family. He subsequently imported 

 several other lots for David Sears, Jr., of Boston, and for 

 himself. Mr. Fay, in answer to my inquiries, informs me that 

 these sheep fully meet his expectations that they are of good 

 constitution, and " take to his briars and rough pastures as if 

 * to the manor born.' " He has no difficulty in raising all 

 their lambs, dropped in March, and the ewes are many of 



