MANAGEMENT OF A MARSHLAND BREED. 173 



grass is the main food ; but it is quite certain that the sheep is 

 susceptible to very great modification in its treatment should 

 it be found necessary. 



Crosses with the Romney. The Romney crosses well with Down 

 breeds, and the favourite local cross is with the Southdown. The 

 cross, of course, brings about earlier maturity, and without injuring 

 its grazing capacity, though it adds to its folding value. The 

 mutton from the Down cross is very popular with butchers and 

 consumers. Surprise is often expressed that such big mutton 

 should sell well in the Southdown's country. The chief reason for this 

 is that the Romney and Romney cross mutton is very tender, and can 

 be eaten directly after slaughter, whereas the Southdown needs to 

 be hung some time, because it is relatively hard. In hot weather, 

 meat is naturally liable to go bad if long hung, and the South- 

 down goes relatively out of favour in the hot season ; though 

 judges of mutton would naturally prefer well-hung Southdown. 

 Much of the Romney mutton is consumed in the popular seaside 

 resorts of Kent and Sussex, and as the visitors are not all of a class 

 that is expert in the quality of meat, it secures a good market ; 

 for its tenderness, flavour, and juiciness combine to make it 

 acceptable to those who, in ordinary circumstances, eat little 

 but cold-storage meat. It is quite certain that the mutton of 

 the Romney sheep, pure or crossed, gains greatly in public favour. 



Fat Lamb Crosses. It is commonly accepted that the bigger 

 Downs, such as the Hampshire and Suffolk, are most useful for 

 producing fat-lamb. If the big Down cross lambs are not sold 

 fat, but run on as stores to be sold in autumn, they do not attract 

 the grazier, and sell relatively badly ; whilst the Southdown cross 

 sells very well. In fact, the bigger crosses, when fattened as tegs 

 or wethers, do not sell really well in comparison with the merit 

 of the meat, when compared with the Southdown, the Romney, 

 or the Southdown and Romney cross ; how far this is controlled 

 by the butcher or the public is not quite clear. The chief selling 

 periods of stores are from weaning time until October, and again 

 in March, April, and May. Markets and fairs are very frequent 

 during these periods. 



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