MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 40 



"The latest development in the history of the Hampshire 

 Down is the establishing of a society for the promotion of the 

 breed and the regulation of a flock-book. A preliminary meeting, 

 held during the Smithfield Club Show in 1899 in London, was 

 largely attended by breeders from many counties, and the feeling 

 seemed to be unanimously in favor of the formation of such a 

 society. It was felt that this step was chiefly necessary in the inter- 

 ests of the foreign trade, and that the Hampshire men ought not 

 to be behind other breeders in this matter. The large size of the 

 flocks is the chief difficulty in recording pedigrees. What may 

 be easy when 150 to 250 ewes are kept might prove troublesome on 

 farms carrying from 500 to 1,000 ewes. . 



"For crossing purposes the Hampshire is exceedingly useful. 

 It was by the alliance of a Cotswold ram to Hampshire Down 

 ewes, and also, I believe, by adopting the reverse course, that the 

 foundation of the Oxford Down was laid by the late Mr. Druce 

 of Eynsham. 



"The simple cross between Cotswold and Hampshire is fre- 

 quently made for producing wethers, and the result is an increase 

 in quality of mutton and of lean flesh, as well as of wool. Every 

 year large numbers of rams find their way into Lincolnshire and 

 the midlands for crossing with long-wooled ewes. They form an 

 excellent cross with Leicesters, Lincolns and Cotswolds, and are 

 often put to these ewes during their last year of breeding, for 

 producing fat lambs or wethers. 



"The Hampshire breed is able to withstand severe climates. 

 Mr. John Craster of Craster Tower, Northumberland, has for sev- 

 eral years past kept a flock of pure-bred Hampshires, and esteems 

 them highly. His estate borders the sea on the bleak east coast 

 of the most northerly part of England; and as these sheep are 

 able to thrive and give satisfaction in such a climate they may be 

 credited with a hardihood equal to that of any other English race 

 of sheep." 



The Hampshire breeders of England are among the most 

 judicious feeders in the world. Their object is to get their lambs 

 to market as early in the fall as possible and they spare no expense 

 in providing the best foods for that purpose. As soon as their 

 lambs commence to eat they are provided with grain, oil-cake, 

 bean meal, palm-nut meal, etc., besides having an abundant supply 

 of turnips or rutabagas. They are allowed the range of irrigated 

 meadows by day and the swede field by night. As the season ad- 

 vances they are put on rye, winter oats, Italian rye-grass, vetches 

 and such-like fodder crops. The growth these lambs make on 

 such fare is almost past credence. 



The writer is indebted to Mr. Jas. J. Kerr, agent to H. C. 

 Stephens, Esq. (who, by the way, is to be thanked by Hampshire 

 breeders generally for "what he has done, with other prominent 



