350 A STUDY OF FARM ANIMALS 



Cotswold sheep to Spain. About 100 years or more ago, 

 Cotswold and Leicester flocks were mixed a great deal in 

 blood, by which crossing it is said the former was improved. 

 These sheep were brought to America as early as 1832, and 

 once were very popular, especially in the states east of 

 Illinois and north of Tennessee. This is a large, long-wooled 

 breed, larger than the Leicester, mature rams weighing from 

 250 to 275 pounds, and ewes 200 to 225 pounds. The head 

 is somewhat large, and is usually white, though it may be 

 gray or brown in tint. The nose is rather prominent, and 

 the ears incline to be large and are carried somewhat heavily. 

 If the forehead of the Cotswold is protected, long curly locks 

 of wool hang down in front, often hiding the eyes. Sheep 

 of this breed have a broad breast, wide, flat back and broad 

 rump, and show a greater width than depth of body in the 

 best specimens. While the Cotswold feeds very well, if on 

 good pasture and under favorable conditions, it is not a breed 

 suited to scant pastures. The well-fattened carcass is too 

 large, coarse, and fat for the present demand. The fleece, 

 which grades as low quarter-blood or braid, is coarser and 

 the curly locks larger than with the Leicester. Good Cots- 

 wold wool is noted for its lustre, a quality much valued by 

 the English breeders. A twelve-months' fleece is usually 

 from 8 to 10 inches long, and weighs about 10 pounds. 

 There are not many Cotswold flocks in the United States, 

 and the breed is more popular in Canada than here. The 

 demand for a smaller sheep and a different grade of wool 

 make it difficult for this breed to become popular in America. 

 The Lincoln sheep comes from the county of that name 

 on the east coast of England. This is a very old breed, and 

 its improvement began while Bakewell was developing the 

 New Leicester. Some Lincoln sheep were brought to Amer- 

 ica before 1800, and they have been imported in a small 

 way ever since. This is a large breed, being somewhat larger 

 than the Cotswold, and having much in common with the 



