OXFORDSHIRE DOWN SHEEP. 353 



again referred to by the judges at the Eoyal in 1865 and 

 1868. 



The Eeports in the " Eoyal Agricultural Society's Journal " 

 of 1870 and 1872 speak in high praise of their general excellence 

 and great improvement in uniform character. We still see 

 difference in type in the rams offered to the public; but, 

 knowing that a heavy fleece can be obtained, with wool thickly 

 set on the skin, and holding the opinion that a fine quality of 

 mutton is not to be found under an open coat, we think that a 

 great advance will be made when a lashy Cotswold fleece is no 

 longer to be found among flocks bearing the name of Oxford- 

 shire Downs. For rent-payers they are not to be excelled, and 

 with their robust constitutions and early maturity, bearing as 

 they do such an abundant supply of mutton and wool, they have 

 made their way into most counties ; and many hundreds of 

 rams are yearly sold by the different breeders. 



It was a proud day for this flourishing breed of sheep when 

 at the Smithfield Club show in 1872 his G-race the Duke of 

 Marlborough took the champion prize with his splendid wethers, 

 as the best pen of sheep in any of the classes; Mr. John 

 Treadwell's ewes being amongst the last three pens left by the 

 judges for selection. 



We now shortly describe the characteristics of a good type of 

 the Oxfordshire Downs. It should have a nice dark colour, the 

 poll well covered with wool, adorned with a top-knot on the 

 forehead; a good fleece of wool, thick on the skin, not too 

 curly ; a well-formed barrel on short, dark legs (not grey or 

 spotted) ; with good, firm mutton. The tegs are usually sold fat, 

 from eleven to thirteen months old, at an average of ten stone, 

 and are much sought after in the London and other markets. 



The following figures, taken from the Smithfield Club show 

 catalogue, will give some idea of the live weight of a pen of 

 three shearlings when about twenty-two months old : 



The average age of the pen of three ewes in 1870 was 57i months. 



Ditto ditto ditto 1871 61 ditto. 



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