VABIETIES OF SHEEP AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS. 1017 



fatten to weigh, at twelve months old past, up to twenty-five pounds each 

 quarter, and at two years old up to about forty pounds per quarter. The 

 breed is popular in some parts of the United States, especially in the 

 West, but to succeed they must have the very best of care and attention. 

 Border Leicesters. — The breeding of the New Leicesters, or Dishley 

 as they were sometimes called, upon the "Border Sheep" of England, 

 produced what became known as the Border Leicester, a sub-family that 

 attained a distinct and well marked position in England, and which, under 

 good management, at about one year and a half old, would dress from 

 eighteen to twenty pounds per quarter of tender and succulent flesh. 

 Older than this che accumulation of fat was great, and the meat not fine. 

 The principal characteristics are an exceedingly small head, and small 

 but fine bone In proportion to the weight of carcass. They have clean 

 jaws; thin ears; full, placid eyes; straight, broad, flat back; arched 

 ribs — a peculiarity of all Leicesters, giving the body often the appear- 

 ance, when fully clothed with wool, of being broader than it is deep. 

 The belly is, also, carried very evenly below, giving a straight or nearly 

 straight line below. The skin is thin, but mellow, and the fleece long 

 and soft, averaging nearly as much as the improved Leicester — six to 

 seven pounds. Their heavy accumulation of fat has not made them fa- 

 vorites in the United States. 



V. The Cotswolds. 



There ai-e none of the English breeds of sheep that have become so 

 universally disseminated in the United States — not excepting the South- 

 Downs — as have the Cotswolds. The improved Cots wold is one of the 

 largest of English breeds, even since its refinement through the Leicester 

 crosses. It is hardy and moderately early in maturing; strong in con- 

 stitution ; broad-chested ; round-barreled ; straight-lxicked ; and fattens 

 kindly at thirteen to fifteen months old to yield fifteen pounds of mut- 

 ton per quarter, and at two years old, from twenty to thirty pounds per 

 quarter. The wool of the Cotswold is strong and rather coarse, but 

 white and mellow, six to eight inches in length, and averaging seven to 

 eight pounds per fleece ; some American fleeces have been sheared weigh- 

 ing eighteen pounds. The two illustrations of Cotswold ewes will show 

 the appearance of this favorite long-wooled breed as they appear under 

 good keeping, before shearing time. 



Cotswolds in the West and South.— Their many good qualities, especi- 

 ally their hardiness, adaptation to the rolling prairies of the West and 

 the hill regions of the South, have made them general favorites with 

 long- wool breeders. They also cross kindly with other breeds, including 

 the South-Downs ; the ewes are prolific, and the flesh of the lambs and 



