422 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



The Suffolk Flock Book says that this breed of Suffolk sheep existed 

 early in the present century, and had been formed by crossing the orig- 

 inal Norfolk ewes with improved Southdown rams. The great excel- 

 lence of the Southdown it is unnecessary to set forth. The old Norfolks 

 were early noted as producing mutton "for the table of the curious, no 

 superior in texture or grain, flavour, quantity an* 1 colour of gravy, with 

 fat enough for such tables," and also of bearing wool, and of their 

 great activity, bearing hard driving, and success as nurses. The ele- 

 ments for crossing were certainly good, but the crojss was not greatly ex- 

 tended. It has, however, been perpetuated for m\iny generations with 

 rigid adherence to purity of blood, some flocks of the present day dat- 

 ing back to 1810. > 



i 



CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SUFFOLK SHEEP AS THEY NOW EXIST. 



They may be briefly described as black-faced, hornless sheep, with clean, black legs, 

 closely resembling the Southdowns in character and wool, but about 20 per cent 

 larger and proportionately longer on the leg. They excel in the following points : 



Fecundity. Thirty lambs reared per score of ewes is a frequent average. 



Early maturity. If well grassed they are fit for the butcher at 10 to 12 months 

 old, and the ram lambs are so forward at 7 to 8 months that they are preferred 

 as tups by most breeders to older sheep. 



Hardihood. They will get a living and thriA r e where other breeds starve. 



Mutton. The quality is super excellent, with an exceptionally large proportion of 

 lean meat, and commands a ready sale at top prices. 



The distinguishing feature of these sheep is their head. It is long 

 and narrow, has an exceedingly clean, graceful appearance, and is 

 always as black as jet. A breeder of them states that he had yet to 

 see a single variation. The newly fallen lambs are a peculiar sight, as 

 they invariably come spotted or black ; but while the head and legs 

 retain their inky black color, the wool grows out white as with the other 

 Down breeds. There is rarely any wool on any part of the head, which, 

 being clean and coal black, with long, black ears, gives the Suffolk a 

 strong individuality. 



In the report made on the exhibition of live stock at Preston, England, 

 1885, Jabez Turner says of the Suffolk sheep exhibited by Mr. Joseph 

 Smith, of Thorpe Hall, Hasketon, that " these are evidently a variety 

 of much merit, combining a large quantity of mutton of fine quality, 

 with a fleece of more than medium weight, and being also extremely 

 valuable for purposes of cross-breeding." 



Mr. Smith had the prize flock of English Suffolks, which in 1886 

 consisted of 260 ewes of medium size, comprising 42 shearlings, 37 

 two-shear, 140 3 and 4 year olds, and 40 varying in age from 5 to 

 8 years. Six rams were used, all bred on the farm from selected 

 ewes. The faces of these sheep, with the legs, are uniformly black, 

 show a good preponderance of full, bright eyes, and the black color on 

 the faces of many of them fairly shines. They have close fleeces, free 

 from gray, only 12 being reported as having some gray on the tails. 



