56 SHEEP I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



was accomplished. Just as Shorthorns existed before the 

 days of the brothers Colling, and Leicester sheep before the 

 days of Bakewell, so Hampshire sheep had taken their 

 general form before the days of Mr. Humphrey, of Oak Ash. 

 Not only so, but Mr. Humphrey had contemporaries and 

 customers from the first. Mr. James Rawlence (of Bui- 

 bridge), Mr. Stephen King, Mr. William King, Mr. Moore 

 (of Littlecott), Mr. Edward Waters (of Stratford-sub-Castle), 

 Mr. Frank Budd (near Whitchurch), Mr. Saunders (of 

 Watercombe), Mr. Canning (of Chisledon), Mr. Ferris (of 

 Manningford, Upavon), Mr. Bennett (of Chilmark), were 

 all engaged in breeding these sheep. Mr. Humphrey is, 

 however, by common consent looked upon as the man who 

 lifted the sheep into its present position. Thus Mr. Squarey 

 writes : " To Mr. Humphrey, of Oak Ash, is due in a great 

 manner the present character and position of the Hampshire 

 Down sheep. This agriculturist effected its improvement by 

 careful crossing with the largest and best fleshed of the 

 Babraham Southdown flock. This means, applied with 

 wonderful ability, and at a great cost, at length resulted in 

 the present perfect animal." This justifies me in giving Mr. 

 Humphrey a first place, while Mr. James Rawlence, the 

 oldest living breeder (with the exception of Mr. William 

 King, now retired), must be looked upon as his most worthy 

 and best-known successor. 



Mr. Humphrey, in a communication to Mr. W. C. 

 Spooner, in 1859, gives a short account of the manner in 

 which his flock of ewes was got together: "About twenty- 

 five years since, in forming my flock, I purchased the best 

 Hampshire or West Country Down ewes I could meet with. 

 Some of them I obtained from the late Mr. G. Budd, Mr. 

 William Pain, Mr. Digweed, and other eminent breeders, 

 giving 405. when ordinary ewes were making 335., and using 

 the best rams I could get of the same kind until the Oxford 

 Show of the Royal Agricultural Society. On examining 

 the different breeds exhibited there, I found the Cotswolds 



