42 MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



"It has been noticed that the crossing with Southdowns had 

 been going on for many years before the formation of a breed was 

 accomplished. Just as Shorthorns existed before the days of the 

 brothers Colling, and Leicesters before the days of Bakewell, so 

 Hampshire sheep had taken their general form before the days 

 of Mr. Humphrey of Oak Ash. Not only so, but Mr. Humphrey 

 had contemporaries and customers from the first. Mr. James Raw- 

 lence (of Bulbridge), Mr. Stephen King, Mr. William King, Mr. 

 Moore (of Littlecot), Mr. Edward Waters (of Stratford-sub-Cas- 

 tle), Mr. Frank Budd (near Whitchurch), Mr. Saunders (of 

 Watercombe), Mr. Canning (of Chisledon), Mr. Ferris (of Man- 

 ningford, Upavon), Mr. Bennett (of Chilmark), were all engaged 

 in breeding these sheep. Mr. Humphrey is, however, by common 

 consent, looked upon as the man who lifted the sheep into its pres- 

 ent position. Thus Mr. Squarey writes: 'To Mr. Humphrey of 

 Oak Ash is due in a great manner the present character and posi- 

 tion of the Hampshire Down sheep. This agriculturist effected 

 its improvement by careful crossing with the largest and best 

 fleshed of the Babraham Southdown flock. This means, applied 

 with wonderful ability, and at a great cost, at length resulted in 

 the present perfect animal/ This justifies me in giving Mr. Hum- 

 phrey a first place, while Mr. James Rawlence, the oldest living 

 breeder (with the exception of Mr. William King, now retired), 

 must be looked upon as his most worthy and best-known successor. 



"Mr. Humphrey, in a communication to Mr. W. C. Spooner, 

 in 1859, gives a short account of the manner in which his flock 

 of ewes was got together : 'About twenty-five years since, in form- 

 ing my flock, I purchased the best Hampshire or West Country 

 Down ewes I could meet with. Some of them I obtained from the 

 late Mr. G. Budd, Mr. William Pain, Mr. Digweed, and other 

 prominent breeders, giving 40s. when ordinary ewes were making 

 33s., and using the best rams I could get of the same kind until 

 the Oxford Show of the Royal Agricultural Society. On examin- 

 ing the different breeds exhibited there, I found the Cotswolds 

 were beautiful in form and of great size; and, on making inquiries 

 as to how they were brought to such perfection, I was informed 

 that a Leicester ram was coupled to some of the largest Cotswold 

 ewes, and the most robust of the produce was selected for use. 

 The thought then struck me that my best plan would be to obtain 

 a first-rate Sussex Down sheep to put to my larger Hampshire 

 Down ewes, both being the Short-wooled breed. With this object 

 I wrote to Mr. Jonas Webb to send me one of his best sheep, and he 

 sent me a shearling by his favorite sheep, Babraham. I went dow r n 

 the next two years, and selected for myself ; but the stock did not 

 suit my taste so well as the one he sent me, and I did not use 

 them. I then commissioned him to send me the sheep which ob- 

 tained the first prize at Liverpool, and from these two sheep, the 



