THE DORSET BREED. 123 



wethers fatten at three years old to about eighteen pounds 

 the quarter. They are a hardy race of Sheep, docile, suited 

 to the practice of folding, and capable of subsisting on 

 scanty pastures. Their mutton is very good, but not equal 

 in juiciness and flavour to that of the mountain breeds. 



The property of the Dorsets which remarkably distin- 

 guishes them, is the fecundity of the females, and their 

 readiness to receive the male at an early season. They 

 have been known, like the Sheep of some warmer countries, 

 to produce twice in the year. This, however, is rare ; but 

 it is common for the females to become impregnated while 

 they are nursing their young. They will receive the male 

 so early as the months of April or May. The common 

 period of admitting him is in the early part of June, so that 

 the lambs shall be born in October, and be ready for use by 

 Christmas. This has given rise to the practice of rearing 

 the lambs in houses, until they are ready for the market. 

 The system has long been regularly pursued, especially with- 

 in reach of London, where a great demand exists for this 

 kind of luxury. The rams employed to cover the ewes for 

 these early lambs are not usually the Dorsets, but the Lei- 

 cesters or Southdowns, and chiefly the Southdowns. The 

 crosses are excellent, and no better nurses can be found than 

 the Dorset mothers. 



The form of the Dorsets has a great resemblance to that 

 of the Spanish Merinos. The resemblance, however, is 

 entirely in figure, for the properties of the two races are 

 very different. While the females of the Merino race are 

 bad nurses, the Dorsets are the most productive of milk of 

 any of our races of Sheep. In the broad and deep loins of 

 this race, we have the same external character which, in the 

 case of the Cow, indicates the faculty of yielding abundant 

 milk. The remarkable fecundity of these Sheep has given 

 rise to the supposition that they are derived from some 

 warmer country, where the females bring forth twice in the 

 year ; but the property may be one which is due to situation , 



