192 How THE FARM PAYS. 



been given to sheep breeding, and the finer kinds have been greatly, 

 improved by the care and skill of the breeders during some years past. 

 Twenty-five years ago I imported a few Leicester sheep, which were 

 then the ruling breed in England, but after a few years' experience I 

 found they were not suited to this climate. The lambs grew to a large 

 size and weight, but did not produce much fat. The average 

 fleece unwashed weighed from nine to ten pounds, and after three 

 years I found they were much given to disease and the percentage 

 of loss was so great that I abandoned the sheep trial for several years. 

 I think it was in 1867 that I imported a few Cotswolds, which pro- 

 duced good lambs and heavier fleeces than the Leicesters, and the 

 wool being better for combing, brought a much better price. The 

 ram weighed when fully grown 425 Ibs., and the weight of his fleece 



SOUTH DOWN BAM. 



was 24 Ibs. The ram lambs sold for from $40 to $50 each, for breed- 

 ing purposes, but like the Leicesters, they began to run down after 

 two or three years, and I think were not suited for the climate. I had 

 a few imported South Downs at the same time, and crossed a Cotswold 

 ram on one of the ewes; this ewe produced a ewe lamb which I bred 

 to a South Down ram. The produce of this cross I bred in and in 

 until I had a flock of twenty, which I named Beacon Downs. All 

 sheep men who saw them admired them for their compact forms, the 

 length and fineness of wool and their early maturity, and they soon 

 found a market among breeders. Of my three importations, the South 

 Downs proved to be the best suited for this climate. I think one 



