84 



BEGINNINGS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



1833 a man named Druce began to breed these sheep, and 

 finally produced one of the largest English mutton breeds. 

 For a long time the wool, though abundant, was rather 

 inferior, but the size and the mutton quality <~ the sheep 

 made it popular. A few of these sheep were brought to 

 Delaware in 1846, and since then the breed has been much 

 improved and has been gaining in popularity in America. 

 As already stated, it is a large breed, the rams at maturity 



Fig. 46. A group of Oxford Down sheep on the farm of Geprge Adams, 

 England. Notice the style of hurdles used for temporary fencing. Photo- 

 graph by the author. 



often weighing 275 pounds or more, and the ewes about 200 

 pounds. The color of the hair on the face, ears, and legs is 

 a very dark brown, quite like the Shropshire. Oxfords are 

 not so heavily wooled over the head, and often the face is 

 rather free of wool, and the ears indine to be rather smooth 

 and large. Typical specimens have quite wide backs, fairly 

 good legs of mutton, and deep bodies. During recent 

 years the breed has been much improved, the flesh growing 



