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SHEEP 



West Country Down sheep, which name they long retained. 

 From this stock was evolved the present type, known as 

 Hampshire Down. 



The early improvement of the Hampshire Down is largely due 

 to Mr. William Humphrey of Oak Ash, Newbury, Hampshire, 

 and Mr. James Rawlence of Bulbridge, Wilton, the same county. 

 Mr. Humphrey, however, is the most important of these, being 



FIG. 266. Thatched cottages in the village of Downton, near Salisbury, England, 

 in the Hampshire Down country. From photograph by the author 



essentially the great Hampshire Down improver, with Mr. Rawlence 

 a most important later factor. About 1834 Humphrey began 

 gathering up as choice a flock as possible of West Country Down 

 ewes, breeding to them rams of the same class. In 1842 he 

 became impressed with the improved breeds at the royal show 

 at Oxford, notably the Cotswolds, and believed that his sheep 

 might be improved by crossing. Consequently he obtained a 

 choice Southdown ram from Jonas Webb and crossed on his 

 ewes with much success. Later he obtained other rams, three 

 in all, the only outside ones ever used in his flock. At first 



