THE SOUTHDOWN. 39 



A. Pickrell of Sangamon Co., Illinois, imported a ram and two 

 ewes; and in the same year Mr. J. T. King of Warren, Ohio, 

 hegan to breed Southdowns with stock imported by Mr. J. M. 

 Hesless of Trumbull Co., Ohio. In the year 1848 Mr. J. C. 

 Taylor of New Jersey commenced breeding Southdowns, and 

 established a flock which was entirely descended from the cele- 

 brated Webb stock. Mr. E. Scott of Kentucky was also noted 

 for his efforts in forwarding the claims of the Southdowns. 

 Gen. C. M. Clay, White Hall, Ky., commenced breeding South- 

 downs in 1855, and by constantly introducing blood by the best 

 rams obtainable, and only breeding to his own ewes, he obtained 

 sheep of great excellence, increasing the amount of wool, and 

 almost doubling the size of the carcass. In 1857 the Illinois Im- 

 porting Co. made an importation of thirteen head from the flock 

 of Jonas Webb. Again in 1861 Hon. John Wentworth of Chi- 

 cago, 111., made importations of Southdowns, and by intelligent 

 selection and a long term of years so successfully improved his 

 flock that it is hard to obtain a better foundation for a flock to- 

 day than from those descended from the Summits farm. In 

 1875 the North Elkhorn Importing Co. of Kentucky mad,e im- 

 portations, and in 1876 sixteen rams and twenty-three ewes were 

 imported from the Walsingham flocks of England. 



On May 1st, 1882, at Springfield, 111., the American South- 

 down Breeders' Association sprung into being, its aim being the 

 collection, revision, preservation and publication of the history 

 and pedigrees of pure-bred Southdown sheep. The aim of the 

 Association has been to encourage and aid breeders of South- 

 down sheep, taking care that none but worthy claims should be 

 advanced to their credit, and also that none but worthy sheep 

 should be recorded. The following is the standard of excellence 

 adopted by the American Southdown Breeders' Association, and 

 which is accepted both in this country and in England as a cor- 

 rect guidance for determining the true type of the Southdown: 



