1 1 I-:KP. 337 



the rump long and broad, and the tail set on high and nearly 

 on a level with the spine. The hips wide ; the space 

 between them and the last rib on either side as narrow as 

 possible, and the ribs, generally, presenting a circular form 

 like a barrel, The belly as straight as the back. The legs 

 neither too long nor too short. The fore-legs straight from 

 the breast to the foot ; not bending inward at the knee, and 

 standing tar apart both before and behind ; the hocks having 

 a direction rather outward, and the twist, or the meeting of 

 the thighs behind, being particularly full ; the bones fine, yet 

 having no appearance of weakness, and of a speckled or 

 dark color. The belly well defended with wool, and the 

 wool coming down before and behind to the knee, and to the 

 hock ; the wool, short, close, curled, and fine, and free from 

 spiry projecting fibres." 



Other breeders have commenced where Ellman left off', 

 and have apparently pushed their improvement to its utmost 

 capacity ; and especially has this been done by Messrs. 

 Grantham and Webb, the latter of whom, while preserving 

 all the essential merits of the sheep, has carried the live 

 weight of breeding rams, to 250 Ibs., and well fattened wethers 

 to 200 Ibs. dressed weight. Many of the choicest animals 

 have been imported into this country, and they are now to 

 be found in limited numbers in almost every State of the 

 Union. The wool was formerly short and used only for 

 cloths, flannels, &c. It has been considerably lengthened 

 in many of the late flocks, and with the improvements in 

 the combing machinery, is now much used in England, as 

 a combing wool. The quantity produced is nearly equal to 

 that of the Merino flocks when well kept, varying according 

 to tfce size and style of breeding, from 3 to 4 Ibs. of clean 

 washed wool, which in quantity, does not differ materially 

 from half-blood Merino, and sometimes rather exceeds it. 

 The larger animals of course, produce fleeces of much 

 greater weight, sometimes reaching to 8 or 9 Ibs. The South 

 Down will subsist on short pasture, but well repays full feed- 

 ing. It attains early maturity, is hardy and prolific, frequently 

 producing two at a birth. Like all highly improved English 

 breeds, it is not a long-lived sheep. It may be considered in 

 its prime at three. The wethers may be fattened at 18 to 30 

 months, and the ewes at 3 to 5 years, when first required as 

 breeders. The last are sometimes allowed to come in with 

 a lamb at a year, but they cannot be sustained in vigor, if put 

 to breeding before two. 

 O 



