116 THE SHEPHERD'S MANUAL. 



but it was only in 1840 that he gained a premium for his stock at 

 an exhibition. After this he took a prize at every exhibition of 

 his sheep, and in 1843 the Highland Society paid him the compli- 

 ment of having portraits of his prize sheep taken for the museum 

 at Edinburgh. In 1855 Webb's Southdowns were exhibited at the 

 Paris exhibition, and a ram, for which $2,600 had been refused, 

 was presented to the Emperor Napoleon. Since Mr. Webb's 

 death, many breeders have made a wide reputation with the 

 Southdowns, and at the present time they hold the position of 

 being decidedly the best mutton sheep in the world. As yearlings 

 they yield 75 to 80 Ibs. in dressed weight, of the choicest meat in 

 the market, and a flock of high character will produce an average 

 of 6 Ibs. to the fleece of a wool in demand for flannels and soft 

 goods. The ewes are prolific breeders and excellent mothers. 

 These sheep, as they are now bred, are without horns and with 

 dark brown or black faces and legs. The size is medium ; the 

 body round and deep ; the forequarters are wide and deep, and the 

 breast is broad. The back is broad and level ; the rump square and 

 full, and the thigh full, and massive. The legs are short with fine 

 bone. The form is smooth, even, fine, and symmetrical, without 

 coarseness or angularity in any part. The habits of these sheep 

 are active, and they are docile and contented. They are able to 

 accommodate themselves to any district, or style of farming, where 

 moderately good pasturage is to be had, and are well suited as 

 gleaners upon an arable farm. Mr. Webb's farm was mostly all 

 under tillage. For the improvement of our native sheep in a par- 

 ticular direction, they arc not to be surpassed, and in this respect 

 they rival the Cotswold. Indeed, there is scarcely a cross-bred 

 race of sheep in England, or Europe, but has been indebted to the 

 Southdown for some of its smoothness, rotundity, hardiness of 

 constitution, and excellence of flesh. It is an excellent feeder, its 

 lambs are active and hardy, and as the producer of market lambs 

 from grade or pure Merino ewes, the Southdown ram has no su- 

 perior, or equal, if the favor with which the dark faces and legs 

 of the lambs are received by butchers is considered There are no 

 fatter lambs come to market than those of a cross of Southdown 

 and Merino. The Southdown has become thoroughly naturalized 

 in America, and its dark face and compact fleece, impervious to 

 the heaviest rains, have left their mark upon a large proportion of 

 our natives, ranking in this respect next to the Merino. 



THE HAMPSHIRE-DOWNS. The Hampshire- downs have of late 

 rapidly risen in favor. Previous to our late war, many of them 

 were imported into the southern states under the impression that 



