THE SOUTH DOWN BREED. 165 



others, that he might infuse fresh vigour into his flocks, and 

 prevent them from becoming too delicate. His aim, in short, 

 was the really useful ; and, though he reaped the due reward 

 of his enterprise and skill, it was never obtained by arts of 

 any kind, by deception, or useless ostentation. His charac- 

 ter throughout was one of sincerity and manly simplicity ; 

 and it is pleasing to add, that he closed a long and honour- 

 able life, respected and regretted by all that came under the 

 influence of his social virtues. He died in 1832, having 

 entered into his eightieth year. 



Contemporaries and successors of Mr Ellman have pursued, 

 with deserved success, the cultivation of the South Down 

 Breed, which may now be said to be brought to all the per- 

 fection, with respect to early maturity and fattening power, 

 of which it seems to be susceptible. The system of selling 

 and hiring out rams was early adopted, and is now exten- 

 sively pursued by eminent breeders, who devote attention to 

 the rearing of rams as an especial branch of their profession. 

 This is a division of labour highly conducive to the perfecting 

 of the breed, and the extending of it in its state of purity and 

 highest cultivation to different parts of the country. But the 

 breeders of rams naturally rear the animals, under favourable 

 circumstances with respect to the supplies of food ; and thus 

 a tendency is produced to an enlargement of size beyond that 

 characteristic of a breed suited to a district of downs and 

 short herbage. The appropriate localities of the South Down 

 Breed are those which are suited to the lighter kinds of 

 Sheep. To the richer and moister plains are adapted other 

 breeds, which produce a long and heavy fleece, and are the 

 native inhabitants of districts of abundant herbage. Such 

 are the Leicester, and other varieties of Long-woolled Sheep, 

 to be afterwards described. Doubtless, the South Down 

 Breed may. by the stimulus of artificial food, and by being 

 naturalized in a country fertile in grasses, become as large 

 as the Leicester and other Long-woolled breeds of the plains ; 

 and it has been long making progress to this condition in the 



