

[130] 



State outside of the common natives or scrubs. There are 

 yet a few descendants of the Leicester, and some Shropshire 

 Downs. The former are fast disappearing, and the latter 

 have not proved as profitable with us as they have in Eng- 

 land, or even in some of the Northern States. They re- 

 semble the Southdowns very much in appearance, with 

 face and legs, larger carcass and heavier coats of wool of 

 longer staple. Like most of the Downs families, they are 

 good mutton sheep, but they are more ragged in form and 

 do not fatten as quickly as the Southdowns. It is claimed 

 however by the breeders of Shropshires that the increased 

 weight of fleece more than compensates for the superior 

 qualities of the Southdowns for mutton. As stated above, 

 Shropshires have not proven sufficiently profitable in this 

 State, as compared with the other breeds we have mentioned, 

 although they have been in the hands of skillful and expe- 

 rienced breeders, to create a demand for them, either to 

 breed as thoroughbreds or to cross upon the common sheep. 



