THE HAMPSHIRE DOWN 



577 



he suffered loss in size, but he culled out the finer-boned, smaller 

 ewes and bred only the larger, more robust ones, using choice 

 crossbred rams of his own breeding. Mr. Humphrey was very 

 particular about his sires and the ewes to which they were bred, 

 selling all undesirable animals to the butcher. According to his 

 old shepherd, Abraham Hopkins, 1 he never bought ewes but 

 once, on which occasion he secured 25 from a lot of 100; 



FIG. 267. Hampshire Down rams owned at Chilmark Farms, New York. From 

 photograph, by courtesy of C. V. Phelps, superintendent 



Rawlence secured 25 also, and a neighbor 100. In narrating to 

 Professor Wrightson the method of building up the breeding 

 flock, Hopkins said : 



Every lamb was marked as it fell, and those which showed any breachiness 

 or coarseness were notched at the top of the ear ; and no matter how well these 

 lambs turned out, they were castrated and went to the butcher. Every lamb, 

 in fact, which was not let for breeding was fattened off, and no ewes were ever 

 sold. Only good ewes were kept for breeding, and all the rest were sold to 

 butchers. The ewes which were thought good enough for the flock were bred 

 from until they were worn out. One favorite was kept till she was fourteen 



1 John Wrightson, Sheep : Breeds and Management. London, 1895. 



