LECTURE NO. 12. 



SUFFOLK DOWN SHEEP ORIGIN AND HISTORY, 



CHARACTERISTICS AND STANDARD POINTS. 



ORIGIN AND HISTORY. 



I. Suffolk sheep are a composite breed, whose 

 central home is in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, 

 Cambridge and Essex in England. 



(1) They are essentially the outcome of the crossing of 

 Southdown rams upon ewes of the old Norfolk breed. 



(2) These crosses continued to a greater or lesser extent 

 until the middle of the present century. 



II. The old Norfolks may be described as 

 follows : 



(1) Their bodies and limbs were long and robust. 



(2) They carried their heads erect, and both sexes had 

 horns. 



(3) The fleece was fine, soft and silky, and weighed about 

 two and one-half pounds. 



(4) The color of the face and feet was a jet black. 



(5) They were hardy and prolific, but shy, and their 

 active habits admirably adapted them for grazing on scant 

 pastures. 



III. The improvers of Suffolks. 



(1) The work of improvement was carried on simulta- 

 neously by a number of breeders in the counties of Suffolk, 

 Norfolk, Cambridge and Essex. 



(2) George Dobito of Ludgate, Suffolk, was the most 

 zealous and distinguished of the early improvers. 



(3) Some of the existing flocks date back to the earlier 

 years of the century. 



IV. Suffolks on exhibition. 



(i) They were first called "Suffolks" in 1859 when classes 

 were created for them at the show held by the Suffolk Agri- 

 cultural Association. 



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