202 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



is turned off at two* years old, and its w eight at that 

 age is from 80 to 100 Ibs. High-fed wethers in Eng- 

 land have reached from 32 to even 40 Ibs. a quarter! 

 Notwithstanding its great weight, the Down has, in 

 the language of Mr. Youatt, a patience of occasion- 

 al short keeping and an endurance of hard stocking 

 equal to any other sheep. This gives it a decided 

 advantage over the bulkier Leicester, Lincolns, &c., 

 as a mutton sheep in hilly districts, and those pro- 

 ducing short and scanty herbage. It is hardy and 

 healthy, though, in common with the other English 

 varieties, much subject to the catarrh or " snuffles," 

 and no sheep better withstands our American win- 

 ters. The ewes are prolific breeders and good 

 nurses. The Down is quiet and docile in its habits, 

 and, though an industrious feeder, exhibiting little 

 disposition to rove 



A sheep possessing such qualities must, of course, 

 be exceedingly valuable in upland districts in the 

 vicinity of markets. Accordingly, they have been 

 introduced into every part of the British dominions, 

 and imported into various other countries. The 

 Emperor of Russia paid Mr. Ellman three hundred 

 guineas for two rams ; and in 1800, " a ram belong- 

 ing to the Duke of Bedford was let for one season 

 at eighty guineas, two others at forty guineas each, 

 and four more at twenty-eight guineas each."-)' 

 These valuable sheep were introduced into the Uni- 

 ted States a few years since by Col. J. H. Powell, 

 of Philadelphia, and a small number was imported 

 by one of the members of this committee in 1834. 

 The last were from the flock of Mr. Ellman, at a 

 cost of $60 a head. Several other importations 

 have since taken place. 



The following is the description of the perfect 



Among breeders, the sheep is termed a two-year old, or & 

 two shear sheep, until three years old. In this case the sheep 

 is between two and a half ana three vears old. 



t " Farmers' Scries." 



