352 



THE SHEEP OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



date they were properly regarded as crossbreds, and known as 

 Down Cotswolds, under wliich designation they achieved 

 sucesses at the Smithfield shows. At the Eoyal Meeting at 

 "Warwick there were thirty-seven entries : the first prize in the 

 old class (comprising Oxfords, Shropshire, and Hampshire 

 Downs) was taken by the late Mr. Samuel Druce for a sheep of 

 this breed. In 1852 Mr, Blake's flock was distributed, and 

 those who remember attending the sale at Stanton Harcourt 

 must have been struck with their general uniformity of 

 character, size, quality, heavy fleeces, and aptitude to fatten. 



Mr. Philip Pusey, seeing the advantage these sheep were 

 likely to confer on the public generally, as also on the flock- 

 master, became himself a warm supporter of the breed. At his 

 death they lost a great patron, who, had he been spared, would 

 have materially aided their rapid spread and improvement. 

 His flock was brought to the hammer in 1855 ; also that of Mr. 

 Gillett, of Brizenorton ; and soon after of Mr. Gillett, of South- 

 leigh, both ram breeders standing high in public estimation. 

 The distribution of these flocks laid a good foundation for many 

 others ; not only did many tenant farmers give up the old breeds 

 to make room for the improved sort, but the Oxfordshire sheep 

 found favour with landed proprietors ; and amongst others his 

 Grace the Duke of Marlborough had a flock on a farm in his 

 own occupation at Blenheim. 



As soon as the breed became established, some of the most 

 successful breeders began to exhibit their sheep at the Eoyal 

 Agricultural Society's show, and, as they had no special class, 

 their animals were shown with short-woolled sheep and cross- 

 breds. This unsatisfactory state of things continued until 1861, 

 when the stewards in their report stated " That the judges are 

 of opinion that Oxfordshire Downs should not be excluded from 

 competition at these annual shows, as they beheve them to be 

 animals possessing great merit, and worthy of having a class to 

 themselves." The Eoyal Agricultural Society decided on a 

 separate class, and the Oxfordshire Downs made their first 

 appearance as a recognised breed by the great society in the 

 Exhibition year of 1862, at Battersea, where they numbered 

 sixty-two entries, and were highly spoken of by the judges, 

 who, Jiowever, objected to their want of uniformity — a deficiency 



