MODERN SHEEP: BKEEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 57 



classes. After this he showed only rams, as he found it detrimental 

 to the ewes 7 breeding properties to fit them for show. In those 

 days Mr. Webb had everything his own way in the showyard. His 

 rams were rented by auction, and one of his conditions was that 

 the hirer could become the purchaser of a ram by doubling the 

 price of his hiring bid. 



The present Duke of Kichmond and his ancestors have been 

 breeders and great admirers of this famous breed for upward of a 

 century, and to their flocks has fallen many of the more important 

 prizes at the leading British shows. To the late Lord Walsingham 

 is due no little credit for what he has done for the breed. To 

 make this brief sketch of this most worthy breed anything like 

 intelligent, the name of Eigdon of Brighton must be mentioned. 

 In the early 70's, Mr. Eigdon stood in the front ranks of South- 

 down breeders, and his entries were very successful in the leading 

 exhibitions. 



From a lecture delivered in 1865 by Mr. Ellman. before the 

 Eoyal Agricultural Society, it is easily surmised that the feeding 

 of the Southdown by that gentleman was much after the manner 

 of that carried on by the leading breeders of the present day, for 

 he tells us that one great point to be kept in mind by the flock- 

 master is that they must be close fed, otherwise coarse herbage 

 results, and that this is not conducive to good sheep pastures. 

 During the summer months the sheep were kept upon the ground 

 with the help of rape, the rape being sown from the first of May 

 until late in the fall. Vetches and rape were considered the ideal 

 weaning ration. The fat lambs were fitted with sainfoin and 

 oats as a grain ration. 



While some Shropshire authorities claim their breed to be pure 

 descendants of the Morfe Common sheep and to be free from the 

 influence of Southdown blood, there are among Southdown breed- 

 ers those who aver that for their fine conformation they owe much 

 to the aristocratie Southdown. 



Since the early descriptions of this hardy and beautiful little 

 rustler and "gentleman's sheep" make such interesting reading it 

 cannot be well considered out of place to quote at length from our 

 early authorities on the breed. In 1788 Arthur Young describes 

 it as follows : "The true Southdown, when very well bred, has the 

 following points: No horns, a long speckled face, clean and thin 

 jaw, a long but not a thin neck, no tuft of wool on the forehead, 

 which they call owl-headed, nor any fringe of wool on the cheeks ; 

 thick in the shoulder, open-breasted, and deep ; both fore and hind 

 legs stand wide ; round and straight in the barrel ; wide upon the 

 loin and hips ; shut well in the twist, which is a projection of flesh 

 on the inner part of the thigh, that gives a fullness when viewed 

 behind, and makes a Southdown leg of mutton remarkably round 

 and short, more so than in most other breeds ; thin speckled legs, 



