110 THE SHEPHEKD'S MANUAL. 



the middle. The wool sometimes reaches a length of 9 inches, and 

 although coarse, is soft and mellow. In some of these sheep, the 

 fleece is beautifully waved. No breed is more valuable for cross- 

 ing than this. It has helped to establish several permanent cross 

 breeds; the Oxford-downs and the Shropshires in England; a 

 Cotswold-Merino in Germany, and another of this cross, which is 

 well under way in this country, and last, but not least, a very 

 promising cross breed, originated on the Beacon Farm, Long 

 Island, by Mr. William Crozier, and called the Beacon-downs. It 

 has, moreover, been used to produce many cross-bred market 

 sheep in various parts of England, and is extensively used by our 

 sheep-raisers in the production of market lambs. Being capable 

 of adaptation to almost any locality, and producing a wool which, 

 both in its pure state and in its grades, is of wide availability in 

 the woolen manufacture, it may justly claim to be the most valua- 

 ble sheep we have acquired, and to promise a more extended use- 

 fulness than any other we at this time possess, or can probably 

 procure. 



THE OXFORD-DOWNS. This is one of the newly established 

 cross-breeds, which has made a favorable reputation, and promises 

 to become permanent. It has already been introduced here, and 

 has made its appearance on several farms, the owners of which 

 possess more than usual enterprise. It is classed among the long- 

 wool sheep, but it is only since 1862 that it has gained the honor, 

 or has been awarded the justice of a separate class at the English 

 fairs. It has rapidly extended its domain in England, and as a 

 wool and mutton producer, firmly holds all it gains. It originated 

 in across of a Cotswold ram upon a Hampshire-down ewe, made in 

 or about the year 1830, by Mr. Twynham and several other farmers, 

 of Hampshire, England. The produce was a sheep heavier than the 

 clam, and resembling the Cotswold in size and fleece. The wool, 

 however, was finer and firmer than that of the Cotswold, and 

 from five to seven inches in length. The first cross rams and 

 ewes were bred together, no further cross being made. By con- 

 tinued care the best points have been preserved, and the constitu- 

 tion nnd character of the first cross have been maintained. The 

 result is, a sheep that is found profitable to feed on a mixed farm ; 

 hardy, producing at 14 months old a carcass of 80 to 88 Ibs. , and a 

 fleece of 8 or 9 Ibs. of wool, which is in great demand in the 

 worsted manufacture. By good feeding these weights are much 

 increased. At the Smithfield, (London), fat cattle show of 1873, 

 a pen of three 22-months-old shearlings weighed alive 895 Ibs. , or 

 an average of 298 Ibs. each. Rams have been known to shear 20 



