42 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



cross breeding and gets fine, vigorous lambs 

 nicely marked with black points. 



OXFOEDS. 



The Oxford- is in appearance a large Shrop- 

 shire, with a coarser and more open fleece, 

 a larger bone, usually a darker face and 

 coarser ear. It is the result of crossing the 

 Cotswold and Hampshire types, begun about 

 the year 1833. The Oxford is a noble sheep, 

 having some of the characteristics of the 

 Hampshires ; is a good sire with which to cross 

 l)reed and is often used for that purpose. There 

 is need of a little more care in management 

 -nith these slieep to avoid parasitism than 

 with some breeds, but no man who has grown 

 Oxfords and kept them healthy but has found 

 them profitable. 



Tm: LONG-A\'( )ULS. 



LEICESTEES. 



The Leicester is an old breed, little known 

 in the United States at the present time, but 

 much kept in Canada. It is notable as being 

 the first recorded sheep to feel the improve- 

 ment of a genius in breeding, Eobert Bake- 

 well having undertaken the improvement of 

 the breed in about 1755. Bakewell conceived 

 the idea of improving this old, coarse-boned, 

 long-wooled breed. Just how he did it we 

 would like to know and never will, but it was 

 entirely by selection, so we are told, and he, 



