54 SHEEP : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



THE OLD HAMPSHIRE AND WILTSHIRE RAMS 



have long been merged in the present improved breed. The 

 Hampshires originally were horned, tall, light, and narrow in 

 the carcase, and usually with white faces and shanks. The 

 Wiltshire sheep were originally known as "crooks," so called 

 from the shape of the horn, which turned back behind the ear, 

 and bent over the cheeks. They were the largest breed of 

 fine woolled sheep in this country (British Farmers' Magazine, 

 1830). A Wiltshire lamb which weighed 24 Ib. per quarter, 

 and contained 14 Ib. of loose fat, is described in the Commer- 

 cial and Agricultural Magazine for April, 1800. " These sheep," 

 says Youatt, " not only prevailed upon the Wiltshire Downs, 

 and were much, and deservedly, valued there, but were found 

 in considerable numbers in North Devon, Somersetshire, 

 Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire. They were a peculiar 

 breed, differing in the shape of horn, and in other points, 

 from the sheep of any other part of the kingdom, and were 

 probably indigenous to the Wiltshire Downs. If they were 

 rather slow in feeding, they were excellent folding sheep, and 

 enabled more corn to be grown in Wiltshire, in proportion to 

 its size, than in any other county in England. . . These 

 Wiltshires have now (1837) passed quite away." They were 

 crossed " again and again " with the Southdowns, until every 

 trace of the old breed disappeared, and a useful variety of 

 the Southdowns remained only distinguished from the true 

 Sussex sheep by somewhat larger size, lighter colour, and a 

 lighter and finer fleece. The last flock of the old Wiltshire 

 horned breed disappeared about 1819 (Rawlence). 



According to Mr. E. P. Squarey, " the Hampshire breed 

 originated in a cross between the old Wiltshire horned sheep, 

 as well as the Berkshire Knot, with the Southdown. From 

 1815 to 1835 the Downs of North Hants and those of South 

 Wilts were very different. The Wiltshire Down was larger, 

 perhaps less handsome, and not so uniform with respect to 

 colour as those of Hampshire, and a ewe with a speckled 

 face and ears was not always drafted." 



