44 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



11 You may not know much about sheep, but I can't 

 let you select from my flock." 



The English breeds are naturally divided into 

 classes of Downs, Long- Wools and Mountain breeds. 



THE DOWNS. 



In the south of England is a chain of chalky hills, 

 covered with fine, short grass. Since history began 

 there has been on these hills a race of short-wooled 

 sheep ; in their early history, with horns. From this 

 old type has come the Southdown, the Hampshire 

 Down, the Sussex, Oxford, Shropshire Downs and 

 the Dorset horned. 



SOUTHDOWNS. 



This sheep is a striking illustration of what the 

 genius of man can do. Before the day of George 

 the Third the unimproved Downs of Sussex were 

 "of small size and bad shape, long in neck, low at 

 both ends, light in shoulder, narrow at the fore end, 

 and shaped like a soda water bottle, small in front 

 and heavier in the middle ; large of bone, but boast- 

 ing a big leg of mutton. The fleece was not so close 

 and firm as now." 



Once the Southdown was horned, but now there is 

 seldom a scur to remind you of the past. Today the 

 breed is one of the most perfectly formed breeds in 

 existence. The size is but medium to small, but so 

 compact and thick-fleshed are these sheep and so 

 close to the ground that their weights astonish those 

 who are unacquainted with the breed. The South- 



