gUPPLEMBNf. • 789 



accomplished. The breed ia remarkable for mass and quality of mutton, combined with 

 a heavy fleece. Prices are large, and those for owes in any other breed are now given for, 

 well-bred Oxfordshire Down rams. 



MUTTON AND WOOL. 



The portraits vifill, we believe, be admitted to be successful representations of two cap- 

 ital breeds of sheep. The form, thanks to the photographer, and even the character of 

 the wool, thanks to the artist, are very successfully depicted. Tliere is a certain amount 

 of distortion seen in the exaggerated length of the hind leg, as compared with fore leg in 

 the Oxford Down; and that the two pictures are not drawn to a common scale may be 

 gathered Irom a comparison of the shepherds, as well asiof the sheep; but we claim to 

 have succeeded, nevertheless, in representing to our readers good and characteristic por- 

 traits of two very important breeds. 



Plate 308 represents "Hermit," a Lincoln ram, 3 years and 4 months old, shown at 

 Liverpool hy Mr. Henry Smith, of the Grove, Cropwell Butler, Bingham, Nottingham- 

 shire, lie took the first prize for Lincoln rams, other than sl^earlings. He was bred by 

 Mr. T. Casswell, Pointon, Falkingham. 



Plate 3G9 i§ a portrait of au Oxfordshire Down ram, "Campsfield," belonging to Mr. 

 A. F. Milton Druce, and shown at Liverpool in the class of older rams, where it took 

 the first prize. It is 3 years and 5 months old, and was bred by the exhibitor. 



BERKSHIRE FIGS. 



[Indosurc No. 9 in Consul-Grencral Merritt's report.] 



iSUTTON, WiMBOENE, DOESET, 



January 8, 1884. 

 Sie: My specialty is pigs; therefore I imagine any remarks on such would hardly 

 come under the above-printed queries. I have for years been very successful as a breeder 

 of large white pigs, and more recently of Berkshires, having secured at the Smithfield 

 Clnh show, in December, 1883, the champion award for the best pen of pigs in the show. 

 These Berkshires at eight tnonths one week and three days old weighed each 16 score 

 pounds. My white pigs are hardy, and famed for size and early maturity; e. g., the pen 

 exhibited at the same time as the Berkshires, also taking first prize, attained the average 

 weight each of 32 score pounds at sixteen months. My opinion is that the Berkshire 

 breed is the most hardy, and could be bred and reared in the United States with the 

 most perfect success. I feed my pigs on barley and maize-meal. 

 I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



JOSEPH SAUNDEES. 



[Inclosure No. 10 in Consul-General Merritt'a report.] 



My Berkshires answer admirably. My sows run out on grass land nearly all the year 

 round, except when they have young. I have 260 acres of plowing, and I find swine 

 dispose of my tail corn more profitably than sending it to market. 

 1 sell all my pigs for breeding purposes, having a good name for them. 



ALFRED ASHWORTH. 

 Tabley Grange, 



Kemtsford, Cheshire. 



THE YORKSHIEES. 



LInclosure No. 11 in Consiil-Goneral Merritt'a report.] 



Pigs have been my great weakness. I have during the last twenty-five years tried aii 

 our English varieties. Berkshires, I found, were poor breedera and sucklers, and grew 

 very slowly when from three to six months old. Tamsworths were shy brutes and very 

 slow payers or feeders. The small blacks and small whites are good breedems and fatten 

 quickly at any age, but their meat is too fat for present tastes. The common English 

 pig is a brute prolific enough but ruinous' to fatten. I have found the middle white 



