THE OXFORD DOWN 



571 



the Smithfield Club Shows from 1895 to 1912 fifty-three Oxford 

 wethers showed a daily gain of .44 pound, and fifty-six wether 

 lambs .66 pound per day, surpassing both Southdown and 

 Shropshire. The general evidence shows the Oxford to be a 

 feeder that will do well for considerable periods and such as the 

 market readily purchases. It is as feeders that these sheep have 

 met with the greatest favor in the corn belt and in Canada. 



The Oxford Down crossbred or grade has long met with favor, and 

 in the United States more especially in the fertile upper Mississippi 

 Valley. From the first 

 this merit of the Ox- 

 ford was extolled ; it 

 is a crossbred that 

 feeds rapidly to advan- 

 tage on a variety of 

 lands. The large size 

 and heavy-shearing 

 quality of this breed 

 have attracted our 

 farmers, so that pure- 

 bred rams are in de- 

 mand to grade up 

 flocks with Merino or 

 common ewes. This 

 produces offspring of 

 excellent mutton qual- 

 ities, shearing large fleeces and meeting with popular favor. This 

 demand is not restricted to America. The English writers state 

 that Oxford rams have been in special favor in Germany for 

 crossing on Merino ewes, and that this use of them has been 

 quite extensive. In Scotland the use of Oxford rams on Cheviot 

 ewes or crossbred ewes is regarded with favor. At the Scotch 

 National Fat-Stock Show Oxford crossbreds have made most 

 excellent records. In 1908 D. W. Black of Ohio won the grand 

 championship on a carload of mutton lambs with grade Oxford 

 Downs averaging 113 pounds a very choice, uniform lot, sired 

 by Oxford Down rams and out of grade Western Merino ewes of 

 the smooth, muttony sort that make the best of mothers. 



FIG. 264. The champion Oxford Down ewe at the 



Ohio State Fair, 1918. Bred and exhibited by J. C. 



Williamson & Son, Xenia, Ohio. From photograph 



by the author 



