26 BULLETIN 94, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



Continental Dorset Club was founded in 1897, and up to January 1, 

 1914, it had recorded 15,030 sheep. The secretary's address is 

 Mechanicsburg, Ohio. The following is the scale of points of the 

 breed as adopted by the last-named organization: 



SCALE OF POINTS. 



Head: Neat, face white, nostrils large, well covered on crown and under jaws 



with wool 5 



Horns: Small and gracefully curving forward rather close to jaw 5 



Eyes: Prominent and bright 2 



Ears: Medium size, covered with short white hair 2 



Neck: Short, symmetrical, strongly set on shoulders, gradually tapering to junc- 

 tion of head 5 



Shoulders: Broad and full, joining neck forward* a*nd chine backward with no 



depression at either point (important) 15 



Brisket: Wide and full, forward, chest full and deep 8 



Fore flank: Quite full, showing little depression behind shoulder '. 8 



Back and loin: Wide and straight, from which ribs should spring with a fine, cir- 

 cular arch 10 



Quarters: Wide and full, with mutton extending down to hocks 10 



Belly: Straight on under line 3 



Fleece: Medium grade, of even quality presenting a smooth surface and extend- 

 ing over belly and well down on legs 12 



General conformation: Of the mutton type, body moderately long: short, stout 



legs, placed squarely under body; skin pink; appearance attractive 15 



Total 100 



SUFFOLK DOWN. 



The Suffolk Down is a comparatively new breed of sheep that has 

 originated in Norfolk and neighboring counties of southeastern 

 England. The Suffolks owe their origin to the crossing of Southdown 

 and possibly Hampshire rams upon the Old Norfolk breed. These 

 latter sheep have been described as being active, robust, upstanding, 

 with black faces and legs, and horned in both sexes. They were 

 very prolific and produced fleeces of fine, soft wool averaging about 

 3 pounds in weight. 



The Southdown blood improved the carcass, increased the early- 

 maturing qualities, and removed the horns. It is claimed that no 

 foreign blood was introduced after 1850. Separate classes were 

 made for the breed at the Suffolk show hi 1859, when they received 

 their present name. Prior to this date, they had been known as 

 Southdown-Norfolks, and locally as Blackfaces. The breed was not 

 considered established well enough to merit a class at the Royal 

 Show until the meeting of 1886. George Dobito, of Ludgate, Suffolk, 

 stands preeminent among the early improvers of this breed, and he 

 began work about 1850. 



The extent ol distribution of the Suffolk does not approach that of 

 the other Down breeds, but they are fairly common in the counties of 



