68 THE DOMESTIC SHEEP 



for flannel goods, and such clothing fabrics as require such 

 a material. It is thus a useful sheep for its wool alone, of 

 which the fleece will weigh four or five pounds. It is a 

 native of the southern part of England in which the mild, 

 delicious climate permits tender plants such as the fuchsia, 

 the heliotrope and the geranium to bloom the whole year 

 round, covering the picturesque cottages with their brilliant 

 bloom, while the northern parts of the country are covered 

 with snow. 



It is solidly built, having a broad back and short legs; 

 it has a tuft of wool on its forehead, and ewes are horned 

 as well as the rams. It is one of the most ancient of the 

 English breeds, and has been preserved in its original purity 

 from a remote period. Its breeders claim that it was exist- 

 ing before the Roman 'invasion, more than two thousand 

 years ago. But of late it has been carefully improved by the 

 selection of the best rams and the diligent search for the 

 most prolific ewes, of whom it is not at all rare that the 

 breeder may obtain four or even five lambs in the year. 

 It is larger than the Southdown and although most esteemed 

 for its prolificacy yet its mutton is above the average of its 

 class of short-wooled sheep. The wethers, under good feed- 

 ing, reach a dressed weight of twenty pounds the quarter; 

 the forequarters however are apt to be light. They are a 

 hardy sheep and since their introduction here have proved 

 to be well suited to our cold Winters and warm Summers. 

 They have also proved to be well adapted to the ranges, 

 being excellent travelers and rustlers. 



Their most prominent characteristic, however, is their 

 unrivalled fecundity. Taking the ram in May they rear 

 lambs ready for the market in the holidays, and breeding 

 again soon after dropping the lambs bring another or other 

 lambs in March or April, and often bringing twins and some- 

 times triplets, thus increase very fast, besides making a good 

 profit for the lambs sold. It is the usual custom to breed tho 

 ewes to a Southdown or Hampshire ram, by which the mar- 

 ket lamb has a black face which is generally preferred by 

 the butchers. No other breed of sheep is so prolific as 

 this under skillful management. 



The breed is sustained by breeding the ewes to one of 

 their own race for the increase of the flock, and the long 



