80 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



any other stock ? Is it not more profitable? But the Downs 

 are a superior sheep for crossing with common ewes to pro- 

 duce butcher's lambs, superior to any long wools. 



" A few years ago a Mr. Beers went to Canada and procured 

 a large lot of the Canada Leicester, and many of our farmers 

 were induced by their large size (with their wool on) to buy 

 them. I expected to be driven out of the market with my 

 South-Downs ; but at the first county fair (South-Downs hav- 

 ing to show against long wool) I made a clean sweep of it, arid 

 there has never been one of them shown since. A certain 

 farmer procured one of Mr. Beers' bucks, and also a South- 

 Down ; he divided his flock of ewes as nearly as possible be- 

 tween the two bucks ; the result was, the half-blood Down 

 lambs were all fat, and sold before any of the half-blood Leices- 

 ters were fit for market. This farmer finds the South-Downs 

 so profitable that he keeps no other than a South-Down buck." 



6. The Cotswold Breed. " The Cotswold," Spooner says, 

 " is a large breed of sheep, with a long and abundant fleece, and 

 the ewes are very prolific and good nurses. They have been 

 extensively crossed with the Leicester sheep, by which their 

 size and fleece have been somewhat diminished, but their car- 

 casses considerably improved, and their maturity rendered 

 earlier. The wool is strong, mellow, and of good color, al- 

 though rather coarse, from six to eight inches in length, and 

 from seven to eight pounds per fleece. The quality of the mut- 

 ton is considered superior to the Leicester." 



We believe the Cotswolds have not been extensively bred in 

 the United States, although there have been several importa- 

 tions. An improved variety of the Cotswolds, under the name 

 of the New Oxfordshire sheep, have lately attracted consider- 

 able attention, and have frequently been successful candidates 

 for prizes offered for the best long-wooled sheep at agricultural 

 shows. 



Y. The Cheviot Breed. The Cheviot sheep are a peculiar 

 breed, which are kept on the extensive range of the Cheviot 

 Hills. They are described as having " the face and legs gen- 



