LECTURE NO. 13. 



HAMPSHIRE DOWN SHEEP ORIGIN AND HISTORY, 



CHARACTERISTICS AND STANDARD POINTS. 



ORIGIN AND HISTORY. 



I. .The Hampshire Down is the outcome of a 

 cross of the improved Southdown upon the old Wilt- 

 shire horned sheep and the old Berkshire Knot. 



(1) The old Wiltshires were the largest of the fine wooled 

 breeds of England, but they were lank and ungainly in body; 

 they were white or mottled in the face and legs, and both 

 sexes had horns. 



(2) The old Berkshires were strong, active and vigorous ; 

 one type only had horns, and both types generally had dark 

 faces and feet. 



(3) Both the Wiltshire and Berkshire breeds had long 

 and strong limbs, both had lloman noses, and both were very 

 hardy, but were hard feeders and slow in maturing. 



II. How improvement was effected. 



(1) In very many instances Southdown rams were used 

 upon the native ewes, but sometimes the native rams were 

 used upon Southdown ewes. 



(2) A careful system of selection followed, and after a 

 time crossbred rams of the progeny were chosen. 



(3) In this way a breed was formed which retained the 

 size and hardihood of the old native breed, and the good feed- 

 ing qualities of the Southdown. 



III. When improvement was effected. 



(1) It commenced about the beginning of the century, or 

 even prior to that date, but 



(2) The perfecting of the breed belongs rather to the last 

 than to the first half of tru century. 



IV. There was lack of uniformity for a time 

 in the Improved Hampshire Downs, owing 



(i) To the varied nature of the methods of improvement 

 .dopted, and 



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