340 



A STUDY OF FARM ANIMALS 



have been criticised as being too small for the American 

 farmer. The average fleece is short and light of weight, 

 though of fine quality, often grading as three-eighths cloth- 

 ing, and this has also made the breed generally unpopular 

 in America, although it is looked upon with much favor in 

 Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. In spite of these 

 criticisms, the breed commands universal respect, and many 

 choice flocks of Southdowns are found all over the civilized 

 world, especially among English-speaking people. 



The Shropshire sheep originated from a number of dif- 

 ferent types native in and about the county of that name in 



western Eng- 

 land. This is a 

 rather hilly re- 

 gion, with many 

 fine pastures, 

 and is well suit- 

 ed to these ani- 

 mals. A num- 

 ber of different 

 men were inter- 

 ested in the im- 

 provement of 

 the Shropshire, 

 prominent among whom were Messrs. Meire and Adney. 

 Some of the early sheep were very coarse and had horns, 

 and Mr. Meire worked to improve the quality, to get 

 rid of the horns, and to develop a better mutton sheep. 

 In this respect he succeeded. Shropshires became some- 

 what prominent in England about 1853, when they were first 

 exhibited at the Royal Agricultural Society Show. About 

 1880 much attention was given the breed, and large exhibi- 

 tions were made at English shows. These sheep were first 

 imported into America in 1860, by Samuel Sutton, of Mary- 

 land. Twenty years later they were imported in larger 



Figure 144. Shropshire ram, 2nd prize, 1920 Ohio State 

 Fair. Photograph by the author. 



