294 PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



but the head is without wool, the fleece is not in curly locks, 

 and the frame is not so large. They are also hornless. 



The Lincolns exceed the Cotswolds in size, the males 

 sometimes weighing 350 or 400 pounds (Fig. 176). They are 

 hornless, have white faces with a little wool on the head. 

 The fleece of the body hangs in curly locks, and the staple 

 is longer than in any other breed; they shear about fifteen 

 pounds to a fleece. 



Medium Wooled Sheep. This group is much more 

 popular than either of the others because of their general- 

 purpose character, and their lambs mature sooner than those 

 of the larger breeds. The most common breeds of this type 

 in America would be named in about the following order: 

 Shropshire, Southdown, Hampshire, Oxford, Cheviot, and 

 Dorset. These are all natives of England, and are hornless 

 except the last or occasionally the Cheviot males. They 

 have brown or black faces, ears, and legs, except the Dorsets 

 and Cheviots, which have white markings. All of these breeds 

 have wool on the faces except the Cheviots, which are wooled 

 only to the ears. Shropshires, Southdowns, and Cheviots 

 increase in numbers rapidly, as twin lambs are very common. 



The Southdowns (Fig. 177) are the smallest breed named 

 in this group. The Shropshires, Cheviots, and Dorsets come 

 next in size and weight. The Hampshires have larger frames 

 and are a little heavier, but the Oxfords stand at the head 

 of the list in size and weight (Fig. 178). 



The fleeces of the Shropshire (Fig. 179), Oxford, and Dor- 

 set are all of good weight and the wool of excellent quality. 

 These three and the Cheviots produce very good mutton, 

 but the Southdown meat is popularly considered the best. 



Cheviot sheep are the best grazers, having been well 

 trained to this in their native land the Cheviot hills, be- 

 tween England and Scotland. 



The Dorset breed (Figs. 180, 181) is much used for the 

 production of early or winter lambs for the city markets. 



