HARDINESS AND FEEDING QUALITIES 107 



fleece ranges from 5 to 8 pounds and in twelve months it attains a 

 length of about two inches. In addition to covering the neck it 

 extends as clean white wool over the head to form a cap on the fore- 

 head and a covering on the cheeks, but it does not extend down over 

 the face much below the eyes. Below it extends to the knees in front 

 and to the hocks behind. Frequently a downy, incipient growth of 

 wool runs down on the hind legs to the pasterns. 



Disqualifications. The English Flock Book publishes the fol- 

 lowing reasons why judges should not at breeding stock shows award 

 a prize to otherwise good sheep : 



(a) Horns or evidence of their presence. 



(b) Dark poll. 



FIG. 65. Southdown lambs bred by the University of Illinois. These lambs won 

 first prize in the competition for pen of four Southdown lambs at the 1917 International 

 Live Stock Show, Chicago. 



(c) Blue skin. 



(d) Speckled face, ears, and legs. 



(e) Bad wool, probably meaning decided departures from typical 

 Southdown wool (Fig. 64) 



Properties. The Southdown is preeminent among mutton 

 breeds for the quality of its mutton. It is famous for the fine-grain, 

 firmness and juiciness of its lean and for the whiteness, flakiness 

 and sweetness of its fat, which is not excessive in amount. Whether 

 it is consumed as baby lamb, ordinary lamb, or mature mutton, these 

 qualities are present to the satisfaction of the most exacting epicure. 



Hardiness and Feeding Qualities. On the whole the South- 

 down is considered hardy, but it is not adapted to the rigorous con- 



