DOMESTIC BREEDS OF SHEEP. 27 



Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Essex, and Kent, and are found in 

 scattered flocks over other parts of England. The excellent quality 

 of their mutton and their high dressing percentage have won them an 

 enviable position upon the English mutton market, and the prizes 

 won by this breed in carcass contests at the leading shows are espe- 

 cially numerous. The newness of the breed and the fact that they 

 have not been intensively advertised are factors in their limited 

 distribution, but importations have been made into the countries of 

 Holland, Germany, France, Spain, and Saxony, of Europe, and to 

 Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and North and South America. 

 In the latter country they are quite popular for crossing upon Merino 

 ewes because of the excellence of the resulting lambs. 



The first importation of Suffolk Downs into this country was made 

 by Mr. M. B. Streeter, of Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1888. Other importa- 

 tions have since followed. Purebred Suffolks have been recorded 

 from 16 States, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, the Virginias, and New York 

 having the largest number of flocks. The fact that only one or two 

 shows in this country have distinct classes for this breed indicates 

 that the Suffolk has not yet secured a very firm foothold in America. 



The Suffolk is a rather active, large, upstanding sheep, rams 

 weighing from 200 to 240 pounds and ewes from 150 to 200 pounds. 

 They are characterized by their jet black head and legs, being darker 

 than any of the other breeds in these points. The ears are pointed 

 and are frequently carried pointing upward and backward from the 

 head. They have no wool on the face, or upon the legs from the, 

 knees and hocks downward. Though upstanding in appearance, 

 these sheep dress out to good advantage. In 1903 a Suffolk won first 

 in the carcass contest at the International at Chicago. The mutton 

 is of excellent quality, closely approaching that of the Southdown. 

 Their fleeces are light, but the wool is soft and of fair quality, grading 

 low three-eighths and quarter blood combing. Flocks have been 

 reported averaging 9 pounds of wool, but it is probable that the 

 average is considerably below this figure. 



The fecundity of the Suffolk is very high, ranking near the top. 

 They are an early-maturing sheep, as indicated by the wide use of 

 the ram lambs for breeding purposes. 



The most serious criticisms of the Suffolk are their light fleeces and 

 upstanding appearance. They are fair in feeding qualities, and if the 

 prejudice against their lanky appearance can be overcome, there is no 

 reason why they should not become much more popular in this country c 



The English Suffolk Down Sheep Society was organized in 1888 for 

 the purpose of registering purebred flocks. The American Suffolk 

 Flock Registry was founded in 1892 with headquarters at Des Moines, 

 Iowa. There were 2,264 Suffolks recorded in the United States and 

 Canada up to January 1, 1914, 



