DOWN AND HORN BREEDS. 41 



something unusual in its composition is strongly indicated by the 

 abnormal periods of breeding, which not only show themselves 

 by the ewes coming into season far earlier than the British breeds, 

 but by the readiness with which they breed again ; in fact, to 

 many, the breed is chiefly recognised through this feature of pro- 

 ducing two crops of lambs in a season ; whereas it is only occasion- 

 ally that a sheep in other breeds will do so. This habit is un-English, 

 and is probably traceable to the disturbance in season which a 

 sheep coming from a hotter climate might feel. There is, however, 

 evidence that in the very early days the Leicester and Devonshire 

 Knot were used, but according to Youatt without success, and not 

 sufficiently to disturb the breeding. 



The appreciation of the breed, particularly by those in the Home 

 Counties, to which many were sent yearly to breed lamb for early 

 fattening considerably more than a century ago, seems to have 

 stimulated breeders to improve the sheep, with the result that 

 they have long been of good type, although they have shared 

 with other breeds a steady improvement. It is not merely the 

 great fecundity of the breed, and their suitability to produce 

 lambs for early fattening, either pure or in the cross, but the fact 

 that they attain good weights as shearlings, and cut a heavy fleece 

 of wool of high quality, and provide mutton of good quality that 

 makes them a really valuable race. The development of this 

 breed by those in some districts not well suited with sheep 

 is worth much consideration. As a heath breed in origin it has 

 much in its constitution to adapt it to a variety of soils ; it certainly 

 does well on some heavy soils at a distance from its home, as is 

 likely where it has a natural habitat on the Kinmeridge clay, the 

 chalk, and the oolite. It is a breed quite well suited to supply features 

 in the development or recasting of types to suit modern purposes. 



The Dorset Horns are specially liked for crossing with Down 

 breeds to produce fat lamb, for there is no better quality lamb 

 grown when crossed with a good Down. Many of the sheep are 

 kept on down land, where, in summer, the ewes pasture during 

 the day and return to the arable land for folding at night. Where 

 they get the advantage of water meadows and other good pastures, 

 they are preferentially placed. It is customary to put the ewes 

 to the ram about June 20, and the lambing time is generally from 

 the middle of November to Christmas, though some are bred far 

 earlier. The lambing is generally done on grass, and it is cus- 

 tomary to feed the ewes liberally with cake. The weaning takes 

 place in March, when it is desirable to have swedes, or rye, with 

 mangels available. The earliest fat lambs are got rid of much 

 sooner. The lambs cut 2J Ib. to 3 Ib. at six months old ; the 

 ewes 5 Ib. to 7 Ib. ; and the rams 10 Ib. to 14 Ib. The wool is very 

 white and clean, and ranks very high in the market. 



