OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLITB 223 



DREAMS OF "THE DOWNS" THAT CAME TRUE 



87. Wherever the revivifying influence of carcass making 

 sheep have gone, there can be traced the blood of one or the 

 other of the two founts of mutton improvement, the Dishley 

 Leicester or the Southdown of Sussex. The changing demands 

 of earlier maturity and small retail cuts with the highest pos- 

 sible thickness of rich red flesh has gradually given a prepon- 

 derant influence to the sheep of the chalk hills of Sussex. Two 

 men builded largely in the founding of this strain; John Ell- 

 MAN of Glynde in its formative years, and Jonas Webb of Babra- 

 ham in the days of its ascendancy. 



The Southdown is perhaps the purest type that has come down 

 to modern sheep husbandry. Not a step in its improvement can 

 be traced to the influx of alien blood, while it has been a con- 

 tributory force to Shropshire, Oxford, Hampshire and almost 

 every other Down breed that has marked individuality today. 

 By careful selection and breeding systems based on the Bake- 

 well formula, the Southdown achieved its wondrous carcass 

 worth. It is to modern sheep husbandry what the Berkshire 

 is to swinedom, the Thoroughbred to the turf, and the old Flem- 

 ish stock to modern beeves. 



For years Babraham was the source of improvement of hun- 

 dreds of flocks in old England, and royalty and tenant alike 

 patronized Jonas Webb to benefit from his monumental achieve- 

 ments. Extension and distribution of the breed were fostered 

 through the exhibition of choice specimens at district and national 

 shows, and wherever they went the Babraham pens received the 

 bulk of attention. Successes at the earlier Paris Universal expo- 

 sitions were inevitable and one particularly fine group attracted 

 the attention of Emperor Napoleon Third. Mr. Webb chanced 

 to be on hand and to the enthusiastic request of the French ruler, 

 as to their ownership, he diplomatically replied, "Yours, your 

 Majesty, if you will accept them." The gift was graciously 



