CHAPTER X 



THE SOUTHDOWN 







History. Of the widely distributed improved mutton breeds, 

 the Southdown, next to the Leicester,, is the oldest. John Ellman, 

 who lived in southeastern England near Lewes, Sussex County, on 

 the hills known as the South Downs, began to improve the old 

 Southdowns or native sheep of Sussex in the latter half of the 

 eighteenth century, and Arthur Young, who saw this flock in 1776, 

 pronounced it the best in the country. Forty-five years later (1821) 

 Jonas Webb, living 100 miles further north in a more fertile country, 

 near Cambridge, purchased Ellman sheep and further improved 

 them. Although other men had something to do with the improve- 

 ment of the Southdown, most of the credit for developing it to its 

 present state of mutton perfection is usually given to Ellman and 

 Webb (Fig. 60). 



The Southdowns are low, chalky hills which Ellman described 

 as being twenty-six miles long and five miles wide. In his day about 

 one-half of the land was arable and the other grass land. Wheat, 

 oats, barley, clover, vetches, or tares, and roots were some of the more 

 common crops cultivated, while the grass land grew a short, fine, 

 sweet herbage. The vegetation which was not rampant was better 

 suited to a small active breed such as the old Southdown was than 

 to a larger, heavier breed. Ellman most likely recognized this fact 

 and probably it had some weight in his choice of the stock he 

 selected for improvement. He took note of the hardiness of the old 

 Southdown, of its ability to thrive when the land was heavily 

 stocked; of its fine fleece; and of its good leg of mutton. On the 

 other hand, he clearly saw its two worst faults, an ill form and a 

 light fleece. 



The Old Type. As a type the old Southdown was small, with 

 long, slim neck, light fore quarters, bowed back, narrow body, low- 

 set tail, coarse bone, and thick leg of mutton. The fleece, though 

 fine, was short, thin, and did not extend over the lower parts of 

 the body. In face and leg markings there were variations ranging 

 from white-brown mottled to solid deep brown or almost black. 

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