CHAPTER LII 



THE OXFORD DOWN 



The native home of the Oxford Down sheep is Oxford County, 

 England, in the region adjacent to the early home of the Cots- 

 wold. The soil is quite variable, being clayey in some places 

 and light and poor in others. The climate is fairly temperate and 

 suited to sheep husbandry. Good grazing abounds in Oxford, and 

 roots and small grains do well on the better-class lands. 



The origin of the Oxford Down sheep is comparatively recent. 

 About 1833 Mr. Samuel Druce of Eynsham and Messrs. William 

 Gillett of Southleigh, Blake of Stanton Harcourt, all in Oxford- 

 shire, and Mr. Twynham in Hampshire, began to develop a new 

 breed, though Mr. Druce was the leader in the movement. In 

 1859 Mr. Druce wrote to Mr. Pusey : 



The foundation of this class of sheep was begun about the year 1833, 

 by using a well-made and neat Cotswold ram with Hampshire down ewes. 

 At the same period several breeders of sheep in this neighborhood also 

 tried the experiment ; consequently there has always been an opportunity 

 of getting fresh blood by selecting sheep which suited different flocks, and 

 thereby maintaining the uniform character which is now established. 



Druce and Gillett also used Southdowns to some extent in the 

 early days of their cross-breeding. In establishing this cross 

 Mr. Druce wrote in 1853 that he found no difficulty in keeping 

 the form and size of the animal as it should be, and the wool of 

 a valuable quality and not deficient in quantity. He also main- 

 tained that the good qualities could be better secured by using 

 cross-bred animals on both sides than by using the first cross. 

 Crossing was undoubtedly continued for many years, with the 

 view of securing a sheep better suited to light farm land and 

 producing superior mutton and a heavier fleece than that yielded 

 by the pure-bred. " Mr. C. S. Read," says Wrightson, "tells us 

 that the (flock) owner formerly divided his flock into three parts, 



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