THE GENESEE FARMER. 845 ^^' 



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COTSWOLD SHEEP. 



The meaning of the name Coiswold, is a sheep-fold, and a naked hill or plain. The 

 Cotswold hills, the native tract of this ancient breed of sheep, are of moderate elevation, 

 covered Avith sweet and nutritious herbage ; and though formerly a bleak, wild, and 

 uncultivated district, given wholly to sheep walks, it is now enclosed, cultivated, and 

 greatly improved. The sheep also have undergone a like improvement ; so that they 

 now rival the New Leicester in symmetry and early maturity, while they possess a 

 heavier fleece and carcass. They have been crossed with the Leicester with decided 

 advantage ; their size and fleece being slightly reduced, but their tendency to fatten and 

 early maturity, as well as the quality of the mutton, are much improved. They have 

 also been crossed with the Hampshire Downs, thereby improving still more the quality 

 of the mutton, but greatly reducing the weight of wool and carcass. The New Oxford- 

 shire breed is supposed to be nothing more than the Cotswold improved by crossing 

 with Leicesters and Hampshire Downs. 



The Cotswold sheep have been imported into this country to some extent, and are 

 held in high estimation by those who possess them. Their wool is said to be finer, 

 longer, and heavier, than the improved Leicester ; we, however, think that it is by no 

 means a settled point. Their mutton is said to be superior, the fat and lean being more 

 intimately mixed than the Leicesters. The South Down, however, is beyond all com- 

 parison the favorite mutton, and is driving all others out of Smithfield market, bringing 

 from two to three cents more per pound tlian the large sheep. 



In the June, number, page 177, we stated that in some experiments then being made 

 by Mr. Lawes, on the fatting qualities of several breeds of sheep, it was found that the 

 Hampshire Downs fatted more easily than the Sussex Downs ; and that the Cotswold 

 yielded more fixt, &c., for a given amount of food, than the Hampshire Downs, or New 

 Oxfordshire sheep. These experiments are not yet finished or published, but a recent 

 letter from Mr. Lawes informs Us that the Cotswold increase more for a given amount 

 of food than either the Lincoln, Leicester, New Oxfordshire, or the Hampshire and 

 Sussex Downs. Yet, as we have before said, it is doubtful whether it is good economy 

 to keep these large, coarse sheep, instead of the delicate Sussex Downs ; the diflerence 

 in the price of the mutton being so considerable in the principal English markets. 

 These large sheep, however, yield a greater amount of tallow in proportion to lean meat, 

 than the small breed ; and as tallow commands a higher price here than mutton, (the 

 reverse being true in England,) will not butchers pay more, or can they not afford to 

 pay more per pound, for the large breed than for the South Downs and Merinos 1 The 

 butchers in Rochester we know prefer Leicester to South Down sheep on this very 

 account, the taste of their customers not being so fastidious as the Cockney's, and the 

 inside tallow they obtain makes a profit in favor of large sheep. 



The cut on the opposite page is a good representation of probably the best Cotswold 

 ram in Great Britain, for it was awarded the first prize of $125 at the great Cattle 

 Fair of the Royal Agricuituial Society of England, held at Windsor in 1851. If fur- 

 ther experiments shall confirm the present indications that this breed will lay on more 

 fat for a given amount of food than any other, more attention will be paid to it here in 

 future than it has yet received. For these reasons we have been at considerable expense 

 to give the accompanying engraving. The Cotswold being a very long-wooled, heavy 

 sheep, they will not probably stand the severe winter of the northern and western States as 

 well as the South Down, Merino, or other smaller, close-wooled sheep. The Tecswater, 

 Lincoln, New Oxfordshire, and Leicester sheep, are also open to the same olijertitMi ; 

 though farmers who keep the Leicesters and other long-wooled sheep in this district 

 and Canada, say that they stand the winter well. 



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