THE SHEEP 



179 



Grand-Cha.mpiox Lincoln Ewe 



This breed is more useful for its supply of 

 wool than of meat. Professor Plumb, one of 

 our greatest sheep authorities, claims that the 

 Cheviot produces mutton of superior t|ualit)', 

 which stands high even 

 in the land that pro- 

 duces mutton as a hrst 

 consideration. 



We now come to a 

 group of English sheep, 

 all popular breeds in 

 our country, that differ 

 from the foregoing in 

 that the wool is medium 

 in length, — longer 

 than that of the Chev- 

 iot and much shorter 

 than that of the Lin- 

 coln or Cotswold. They are clothed in a thick 

 fleece of short wool of a yellowish color, which 

 covers nearly all the head and legs. Except 

 for the absence of horns, their appearance re- 

 calls that of the Merino sheep. The wool about 

 the head and legs is black or 

 brown. 



With us the Southdown is 

 the generally accepted type of 

 the mutton and short-wool 

 sheep. The breed takes its 

 name from the downs that line 

 the southern coast of England 

 Its smooth, even body, its 

 round, clean barrel, its shoit 

 legs, its fine head and broad 

 saddle, make it profitable for 

 any American breeder or 

 farmer. Its mutton has long 

 been valued highly both here 

 and abroad, always bringing 

 the highest price. A saddle 

 of Southdown mutton, cooked 

 at the proper time, is perhaps a Ki;m 



the best of all meat dishes. 

 A well-fed Southdown should 

 weigh eighteen pounds the quarter at a year old, 

 which is near the popular margin as to weight. 



The Shropshire shares the popularity of the 

 Southdown and is slightly larger and heavier, 



the quarter weighing from nineteen to twenty- 

 two pounds. It is readily adapted to gootl or 

 thin pastures, and its mutton is excellent. P'or 

 this reason it is found all o\'er the United 

 Slates and Canada. In 

 a])pearance it favors the 

 Southdown, its chief 

 pi'ogenitfjr. Tlie \\(]ol 

 co\ci's the whole face 

 and scarce))' ]ea\-es \-is- 

 ible the e)'es and the 

 black lip of the nose. 

 It also extends down the 

 legs almost to the hoofs. 

 '1" he H a m p s h i i' e 

 Down is gaining in nimi- 

 bers and pcjpidarity be- 

 cause of its size and 

 early maturing qualities. Southdown blood has 

 entered into the im]:)rovement of this breed, 

 introducing many ver)' ]joi3ular qualities, espe- 

 cially compactness and breadth over ribs and 

 loin, the region where the greater part of the 



R.\M, ClIANH'IOX AT M.AXV Exiur.iTioxs 

 Phutn J. T. Newman, Berkhanipstead 



marketable meat is found. No horns are found 

 among individuals of this breed. 



The body is rather long in shape and not as 

 well-proportioned as that (.)f the Southd(jwn ; 



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