DOWN AND HORN BREEDS. 29 



this historic breed, which has had such great influence in the making 

 of so many breeds. In recent years, and for a long while, the 

 breed, so far as Sussex is concerned, has been mainly kept on the 

 chalk downs, but it got its many indigenous features through 

 the sheep spending their lives on such a variety of soils, and doubt- 

 less it was because its characteristics and constitution were so 

 built up that it crossed so successfully with other heath breeds, 

 which subsequently partook of these features, and are known 

 as Down races of which the Shropshire, Hampshire, Oxford, 

 and Suffolk are the more notable, though there are other breeds 

 which directly or indirectly have been influenced by the South- 

 down. It has been the great improver of the heath breeds. Another 

 common error is that because it comes from the south of the country 

 it is necessarily a tender breed ; as a matter of fact it is wintered 

 on very cold and exposed hills, and has to take a considerable 

 amount of exercise in grazing, although it may be folded in by no 

 means sheltered pens at night. The Southdown is not a tender 

 breed, but to maintain its typical breed characteristics it requires 

 to be kept on the chalks, or in course of time they break away, 

 although the breed will grow well and fatten readily on other 

 land when placed on it for fattening purposes. The other races 

 with which it had so much to do in the making would not have 

 been as vigorous as they are known to be if the Southdown had 

 naturally a weak constitution ; but it is essentially a sheep of 

 good land and sweet food, just as the Shorthorn is among cattle. 

 On chalk land at a distance from the Southdowns it thrives well, 

 but is difficult to keep to the recognised breed type but it is an 

 excellent animal all the same. It has long been associated with 

 arable farming and close folding on roots, and fattens well on 

 them ; however, the ewes in Sussex are not put to the ram early 

 as a rule, consequently many of the lambs are run over the following 

 winter to be fattened out late in spring or during summer. A 

 considerable number is fattened as fat lamb, and if well done 

 throughout, they may be fattened at fair weights by Christmas. 



The work of John Ellman, of Glynde, in bringing this rough 

 heath breed into such good form ranks among the finest achieve- 

 ments in British farming, and was the foundation of the high quality 

 meat obtainable throughout the world. In the making of any 

 breed where the foundation stock is a heath type, it is practically 

 an essential that some dash of Southdown blood be infused ; it 

 may be in greater or less degree according to what is required, 

 but if only a very small infusion be made, the thriving powers 

 are improved with no loss of quality to the meat But, as in 

 most breeds, those who have greatest influence in breeding need 

 to be careful not to encourage the development of too much fat 

 in the pure-bred ; however, there is one feature about Southdotvn 



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