



42 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



i 



of failing. He asked my advice. I informed him that 

 there existed no sovereign remedy for the cure ot a 

 disease which might originate in so many causes. After 

 a description of the soil and information of the mode ot 

 treatment, I recommended rolling, and a top-dressing 

 of salt and superphosphate of lime. For months more 

 I heard nothing more about this particular case ; but in 

 the spring of 18.VI, Mr. Crompton sent me » sample ol 

 a soil, unon which healthy-looking Clover had suddenly 

 and mysteriously died away. I was to examine it che- 

 mical ly, as far as I considered it to be necessary 

 found "the soil to contain as much as one-iialt ot its tmiK 

 Of finely-divided matter, consisting of finely-divided 

 sand, clay and chalk, together with » proportionate 

 small quantity of organic matters. Subjected to farther 

 tests, I found the amounts of several fertilising matters 

 present in such small quantities as to be scarcely recog- 

 nisable. And this was the case more especially with 

 the sulphuric acid. I then thought it advisable to esti- 

 mate quantitatively several of the constituents.. An 

 imperial pound of the dried soil contained : 



80 grains 



Organic matter 

 Gypsum 

 Common salt 



t » # 



• t t 



• • 



. ■ • 



• • • 



. * • 



■ • • 



177-1% grains 

 5tVo 6 tt grains, 

 did not indicate any 



Chalk 



Bone-earth 

 Inasmuch as qualitative analysis 

 other reason for the failure of the Clover crop, I 

 thought; myself justified in attributing it, in this in- 

 stance, to the want of sulphuric acid, and perhaps of 

 chlorine. When we consider the amount of sulphur 

 removed by a large crop, it must be obvious that this 

 soil could not furnish it. I had every reason to believe 

 that the practice of the former tenant, of using lime as 

 the sole manuiv, had been the cause : first, of changing 

 the physical nature of the soil ; second, of removing 

 its soluble constituents ; and thirdly, of supplying a large 

 amount of phosphoric acid. I was much gratified to 

 find that my advice in the first instance was productive 

 of snecess. The Clover on 6 or 8 acres (I do not 

 remember which) did not only not fail, but an average 

 of 2 tons per acre was obtained in the summer. And 

 although the soils in the two instances mentioned here 

 were some distance asunder, I know that the sulphuric 

 acid of the superphosphate and the chlorine of the salt, 

 were, chemically speaking, the cause of success, Albert 



J. Bemays, F.C.S., Chemical Laboratory, Derby. 



from Germany and Australia. &c, as you will learn 

 when I come to speak of wool, has to be used. 



To these downs, as far north as the Cotswold Hills, 

 to which I now point you, this valuable breed of sheep 

 seems to have been confined for a length of time, and 

 the manufacture of cloth was consequently limited to 

 the west of England. By reason of the abundance ot 

 fuel further north it has been removed to a position 

 where it can be conducted with less expense. 



The wooded and marshy nature of our country 

 formerly rendered it unfit for the pasturage of the 

 sheep, which could exist only upon the downs, and lulls 

 that were naturally draiued aud free from timber. Butt 

 as the mighty forests fell beneath the axe of the wood- 

 man, and the land was relieved of its superabundant 

 water, by a good system of drainage, the sheep saun- 

 tered down into the plains to taste of the truits of culti- 

 vation. Some preferring the active life of the hills to 

 the indolent existence of the plains, returned to their 

 mountain retreats and scant pastures, whilst others 

 willingly consented to remain and fatten upon food that 

 (should be prepared for them. With this ehauge of 

 habits and food comes a change of form, character, and 

 constitution. The peculiarities of soil, situation, and 

 climate produced corresponding peculiarities of form 



animal 





ate produced corresponding peculiarities of 

 and habit ; and it is with the varieties of this a 

 thus produced that we have now to do, under the two 

 heads of upland and lowland sheep. 



Of the upland varieties I shall first notice the south- 

 downs. They receive that name because they frequent 

 the great chalk downs to the south ol England. From 

 that representation of a Bouthdown ram you will see 

 that their shape is compact and round, their body full, 

 their head fine and without horns. Their faces are 

 remarkable for a mild expression, and they are famed 



The fleece is close, 



Both their 



THE SHEEP. 



A Village Lectcre 

 In its natural state the sheep is wild, shunning the 



haunts of men, having greater pleasure in bounding 



amongst the mountain crags, and cropping the scant 



herbage springing from the crevices of the rocks, than 



in frequenting the plains to fatten indolently on their 



hixui nt pastures. 



It is supposed that there are three varieties of sheep, 



from which all others have sprung. They resemble 



each other in character, though not in appearance. 



The moufion is found amougst the mountains of the 



wildest islands of the Mediterranean Sea; and the 



North American argali frequents the mountains of the 



country from which it derives it name, 1 shall point 

 you to the third called the Asiatic argali. Well, this 

 argali to us is a curious looking sheep. It that picture 

 is a good likeness, I think we shall be inclined to say, 

 14 What a tine goat/' for certainly it is more like a goat 

 than anything else. We should be sorry to see such 

 a fierce wild tallow as that amongst our flocks. Those 

 long legs would carry him over our highest fences. His 

 bones are large, his frame is indicative of great strength, 

 and altogether, with his small erect ears, aud long up- 

 right spiral horns, he is a very haudsome, but certainly 

 not a very quiet well-disposed sheep. His covering is 

 a mixture ot hair and wool, varying in quantity ccord- 

 iBg to the clemency or inclemency of ihe season. The 

 hair dashes aside the rain and snow, and the wool pro- 

 tects him from cold. During the summer mouths, 

 therefore, you may see these animals dressed in long 

 hair ; but as soon as the cold wiuds ptevail, and the 

 snow falls, and frosts ice the waters, the wool spreads 

 amongst the roots of their hair, and a warm covering is 

 thrown around them. The argali usually run together 

 in flocks \ f 10, aud the females lamb twice a year. 



We are quite unable to ascertain how long ago, or by 

 what means the sheep was introduced into our country. 

 Some Latin books, however, mention the British sheep 

 when we were invaded by the Romans. That event, 

 of winch I told you upon a former occasion, took place 

 about 1900 years since, so that there need be no wonder 

 at our inabilities to date the introduction of this animal 

 into England. It appears that the west of England 

 was, at this period, more celebrated for its sheep than 

 any other parts. The Romans established woollen 

 manufactories, and seated them at Winchester, in the 

 centre of the great western downs, on the borders of 

 which, to this day, may be seen the remains «>f Roman 

 buildings and sheep cots, and the long straight licet ot 



for bractableness and gentleness, 

 extending under the belly to the hocks, 

 wool and mutton is much esteemed, and find a ready 

 sale. They are prolific breeders, fatten quickly, and 

 are only suited to the lighter soils. As mountain sheep 

 they have naturally light fore-quarters ; but this defect 

 has been corrected by careful selection, and they now 

 appear, by the same means, to have arrived at the 

 highest perfection of form. The chain of hills and 

 moors, extending from Derbyshire, northwards, is 

 famous for the black faced sheep. You will easily re- 

 cogutse the picture of the animal from amongst the 

 rest before you. It belongs to the smaller class of 

 sheep, is of compact form, with black face and legs, long 

 spiial horns, an eye bespeaking wildue^s, and a coarse 

 fleece. On account of its greac hardihood, it is carried 

 amongst the bleak uplands of Scotland, and is the only 



that can endure the excessive cold of those 



in plenty. The Cheviot is perhaps less hardy than the 

 hlack-faced sheep ; but its good qualities, its fine wool 

 delicately flavoured flesh, weight, and gentle character 

 give it a higher place than that animal in the Considera- 

 tion of sheep breeders. 



Having glanced hastily at the most important of the 

 mountain breeds, let us descend and make ourselves 

 acquainted with the peculiarities of the chief varieties 

 of sheep that enliven our plains. 



You all know the Leicester sheep. Many of you 

 know more about its mauagement than I do ; but 

 perhaps I can tell you more about its history than you 

 know. On your right are two pictures. They are 

 both representations of the Leicester ram. « What a 

 difference !" you say. It is true ; and the difference 

 may just show you the improvement which this breed 

 has undergone within the last 70 or 80 years. For- 

 merly, the Leicester was little esteemed, either for wool 

 or mutton ; indeed, it had few good qualities. What 

 is called the new Leicester is now the most general and 

 valuable variety of alt the long-woolled sheep. This 

 improvement arose from the attention given by the 

 master of a single flock to the principle of selection. 

 By this I mean that the most perfectly formed animals 

 were every year selected for the purposes of breeding, 

 until all, or nearly all the prominent defects of the 

 parent stock were lost, and all its good points were 

 strengthened and confirmed. The result of the experi- 

 ment is, as you see, that from a very coarse animal 

 wanting in all good properties, a very fine one, possess- 

 ing very few bad properties, is produced ; and this is, 

 indeed, the surest method of improvement, where the 

 detects of a breed are to be corrected without endan- 

 gering those properties which especially adapt it to its 

 situation. These, of course, must be retained, and 

 therefore we see that attempts to improve a breed of 

 sheep or any other animal, by crossing it with another, 

 frequently prove failures. The new Leicester sheep is 

 inferior to the old in size and weight. Mr. Bakewell, 

 the improver of the breed, cared not, however, so much 

 tor size, weight, or wool, as he did for something else. 

 He made himself acquainted with the external charac- 

 ters which indicate a disposition to fatten, and when he 

 met with a sheep in his flock postessing such qualities, 

 he put it aside. His aim was to obtain a sheep that 

 would come in an early state of perfection to the knife, 

 and great success has attended his efforts, since no 

 class of sheep comes sooner to a state of maturity than 

 the Leicester. The butchers dislike this sheep. The 

 fineness of its bone causes it to weigh too well for the 



and its fat is distributed all over the body, 

 accumulated about the kidneys (as it 



customer 



sheep 



mountains. The heavy snow storms are the chief 



Sources of danger to the sheep, and of anxiety to the 

 shepherd. I am told that when a storm comes on, 

 these animals will all repair to the windward side of the 

 mountain, and remain with their heads pointed to the 

 quarter from wheuce it comes, during i s continuance. 

 As their pastures are bare, and no provision is made 

 for them of artificial food, they are three or four years 

 old btfore they are ready for the butcher. When 

 marketable, however, ihey command a high price, owing 

 to the venison flavour of their flesh. They are kept in 

 large flockffand need a great range of pasture, so that 

 one or more shepherds with their dogs are required to 

 be constantly abroad. The duties of a shepherd in 

 those parts are very different therefore from those you 

 have to perform. During the day he occupies the high 

 ground ; that affords bun a view of the whole sheep 

 walk. His dog is his chief and most useful companion. 

 A word or a look from his master sends him searching 

 to the furthest range of the sheep walk. These dog*, 

 when well trained, peiform, with the most perfect ease, 

 more work than could be done by 5 or 6 men. When 

 the flock has to be "gathered,'' and driven to another 

 quarter of the sheep walk, the dog, at a sign from bis 

 master, barking, circles the sheep, aud they, recognising 

 his signal to *all in, all scamper towards the centre ot 

 their rany^e, and are driven towards the shepherd, who 

 leads them to a frtsh bite. The chief objection to the 

 bred is founded upon the coarseness of iis wool, and 

 i he Cheviot, of which we shall speak directly, is often 

 chosen in preference to it, on account of its tine fleece. 

 But for au elevated and rugged country, a healthy pas- 

 ture, and a serene climate, the black-taeed sheep is 

 better suited than any other. When removed to a low, 

 marshy district, this sheep parts with many of its pecu- 

 liarities. It tases its hardiness, the colour of its face 

 and legs becomes less dark, its wool less coarse, and 

 sometimes its horns disappear altogether. 



The Cheviot sheep derive their name from the 

 Cheviot Hills, of which they are natives. That range 

 of hills extends through the north-east of Englaud, and 

 the south-east of Scotland. The Cheviots are heavier 



instead of being 



is in the mountain sheep), which is a great disadvan- 

 tage to them, since the " tallow cake," as you calltf, 



fetches a higher price in the tallow market. 



* r I mean the 



and 



■folk in its present highly cuiu™^* -~ 

 ; for, owing to its restU ss habit, it destroy 

 in it consumes, and fattens very slowly, » 



Tic 



beW 



than the black-faced sheep ; they are without horns, m ___ 



the head and legs are white, and the eye mild. The j it appears that in consequence of these sheep D f* 



body is finely shaped, though long ; the back is straight, Al l 1_ " J - r ^ ** — -«t«r»lise > 



the ribs arched, the shoulder plate well thrown out, and 



Yonder picture represents the sheep 

 Old Norfolk— and emboldened by the absence ol a 

 Norfoikman, I will show it off to the best of my ability 

 Tt was excellently well fitted for walking, racing, 

 jumping. Very few of the pure breed are to be seen 

 now. Nothing could be done to improve it except tne 

 introduction ol foreign blood into its system, for of its 

 own it had no good qualities to be confirmed ana 

 rendered permanent by the method of selection. 



crossed with the Leicester and the Southdown, «., 

 aud usually made way altogether for other breeds. 

 Suited exactly for the formerly uncultivated waste o 

 Norfolk, where long legs and agile limbs were essentia 

 to keep their possessor clear of bogs, and well supply 

 with pasturage without over fatigue, it is quite • 

 suited to Norfolk in its present highly cultivated ana 

 drained state ; 

 more food than 

 comparison to the Leicester and Down sheep. 



The Sheep of Romney Marsh are peculiar. ^ 

 nature of their situation requires them to be very s x ? 



Looking at the map you would pernap 

 think the couuty of Kent warm and mild, from 

 southerly position ; and Romney Marsh, which is at 

 south of the county, a little raised above the leve l 

 tne sea, you would expect to find one of the # warfl \u 

 spots in England. Kent, however, in winter is a co 

 county, ana Romney Marsh is one of the coldest aldtr i 

 of Kent. The^e sheep have many privations to s uQe 

 and much iuclement weather to endure. The 

 there are divided by dykes instead of hedges or s 

 walls ; and when the autumnal rains set ioj j 

 d^kes are filled to overflowing, and the land is s0d j 

 The evaporation of all this water must take pl ace > 

 the air is consequently charged with an unwno»»" 

 degree of moisture, aud rendered very chilly ; * n - j 

 shall learn, when we come to talk about the diseas , 

 sheep, that the rot which is caused by the wet tteas ^ 

 land is the most latal malady that they are lw bW ^ 

 Now, if rot should be found anywhere, one * 



surely expect to find it amongst the Romney fl° c ^ s A-j 



eep 



should say, natural 



and hardy. 



fields 



Roman road that weary the eye of the traveler. These the legs small-boned aud clean. Their native hills are 



down sneep furnished a very fine wool, much in request 



for the manufacture of the finest cloths. It was for its 



wool at thts period that the sheep was bred. Some 



time after this the improvement of the carcass was 



aimed at, but the quality of the wool suffered in c >use- 



queuce, and tlie manufacturers were obliged to seek for 



Wool from other count ies, where the pasturage is less 



rich. The wools clipped in this country, at the present 



time, for the same reason, cannot be worktd up into 



the finer stuffs j but for all such fabrics foreign wool 



clothed with a pasturage inferior to that of the southern 

 chalk downs ; but it is considered good. Their wool is 

 fine and short, and as a protection against the bitter 

 winds that sweep through the dales, and the snowstorms 

 that whiten the mount » ins of the northern counties, it 

 is thickly set, A heavy winter snow storm is no slight 

 matter in the eyes of the flock-masters and shepheid 

 of the Cheviot Hills. Nothing can be done during the 

 continuance of the storm except to seek for self-pre- 

 servation j but when its fury has abated there is work 



thoroughly inured, or, as I o*iv/uiv* o<*j, «• . ^ 



the disadvantages and hardships of their s * cuatl ^! I ' Tfl flef 

 paratively few suffer from this cam-e. The ^°,^ 

 sheep is destitute ot almost all tho*e qualities lb ^^ 

 best judges consider essential to a good sheep. ^ 

 efforts were made to impart to it the better P r0 Q^l 

 of other breeds ; but with a bad result, since au ft j 

 was produced that could not endure the seve* l it 

 he climate, and the principle of selection was t& ^ 

 to as the only means of furthering the designs 



The Cotswold is in its pure state a heavy, jH-J^ 

 narrow-breasted sheep. It derives its name** 



t 



flock- masters. 



ft 





