THE HAMPSHIRE DOWN 



403 



Littlecott, Edward Waters, Frank Budd, Saunders of Water- 

 combe, Canning of Chisledon, Ferris of Manningford, Alfred Mor- 

 rison, James Read, and Bennett of Chilmark were prominent 

 early breeders. Mr. Humphrey, however, is the most important 

 of these, being essentially the great Hampshire Down improver, 

 with Mr. Rawlence a most important later factor. About 1834 

 Humphrey began gathering up as choice a flock as possible of 

 West Country Down ewes, breeding to them rams of the same 

 class. In 1842 he became impressed with the improved breeds 

 at the royal show at Oxford, notably the Cotswolds, and believed 

 that his sheep might be improved by crossing. Consequently he 

 obtained a choice South- 

 down ram from Jonas 

 Webb and crossed on his 

 ewes with much success. 

 Later he obtained other 

 rams, three in all, the only 

 outside ones ever used in 

 his flock. At first he had 

 difficulty in loss of size, 

 but he culled out the finer- 

 boned, smaller ewes and 

 bred only the larger, more 

 robust ones, using choice 

 cross-bred rams of his own 

 breeding. Mr. Humphrey 

 was very particular about 

 his sires and the ewes they were bred to, selling all undesirable 

 ewes to the butcher. He died in 1868, when his flock, one of 

 very superior merit, was dispersed. Mr. James Rawlence bred 

 rather differently, beginning with the Sussex breed, crossing the 

 larger and more robust ewes with the West Country Down or 

 Hampshire Down rams. He frequently used rams of Mr. Hum- 

 phrey's breeding, and later bought Hampshire ewes to which he 

 bred rams of his own stock. By using new blood gradually, 

 and practicing careful selection, Mr. Rawlence developed a flock 

 of high merit. From these two flocks has come the best of 

 Hampshire Down stock. 



Fig. 185. The Earl 4442, grand-champion 

 Hampshire ram at the Louisiana Purchase 

 Exposition, 1904. Shown by John Milton 

 of Michigan. Photograph by the author 



