MODERN SHEEP I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 4? 



Cotswold, made, as already pointed out, by Mr. Twynam, and in 

 this feature there is a point of resemblance between this race and 

 the Oxford Downs. Let anyone who wishes clearly to see the 

 peculiarities of the Hampshire study them in contrast to the other 

 breeds named in these particulars, and he will have no difficulty in 

 fixing in his mind the peculiar characters of the Hampshire. 



"Knowing the susceptibilities of breeders, it may be well here 

 to state that such reference to characters derived from a mixed 

 ancestry is no slur upon the breed as it at present exists. The 

 Hampshire Down has been too long established as a breed, and 

 too long bred entirely inter se, to be now charged with being of 

 mixed origin. Every race of sheep already mentioned has been 

 crossed, with the exception of the Southdown and possibly of the 

 Leicester. It, indeed, seems to be necessary, if robustness of type 

 is to be maintained, to make as a first step such crosses as were 

 effected by Mr. Humphrey, Mr. Eawlence, and, as has been as- 

 serted, was made by Mr. Twynam with the Cotswold. One of the 

 great arts of breeding appears to be judicious crossing, followed 

 by continuous breeding and weeding. 



"The Hampshire Downs are well inured to life between hur- 

 dles. So accustomed are they to this method that when turned 

 out they usually move about in mobs, often grazing in a semi- 

 circle, the foremost being in the center of the curve. The number 

 of sheep maintained upon Wiltshire and Hampshire farms is 

 extraordinary. We have, for example, on the College Farm at 

 Downton, lambed down 550 ewes on 600 acres in a recent season, 

 as well as having maintained 200 tegs. The summer stock, when 

 the lambing season proved to be very favorable, has consisted of 

 about 1,250 to 1,300 sheep and lambs, beside a dairy of thirty 

 cows and young stock in proportion. 



"This almost rivals the stock which Arthur Young mentions 

 as occupying Mr. Ellman's farm at Glynde a hundred years ago, 

 but the greater weight of the Hampshire Down sheep must be 

 taken into account. Such a stock can, of course, only be main- 

 tained upon the acreage named in seasons when food is abundant, 

 and must in less fortunate circumstances be provided with hired 

 keep off the farm. 



"The constant use of hurdles points to an artificial system 

 of feeding, and there is no doubt that sheep-farming upon the 

 Hampshire and Wiltshire hills is a much more complicated busi- 

 ness than the same pursuit upon the hills of Scotland or Wales, 

 or even of Yorkshire and Northumberland. The character of the 

 land and of the climate of these southern counties favors a sys- 

 tem of double cropping with fodder crops followed with roots, and 

 this, when assisted with large importation of cake and corn, and 

 'the ability of the Hampshire sheep to stand close folding, is the 

 secret of the large number of sheep maintained, 



