84 Sheep-Farming 



showing as in later years. The best pen of wether 

 lambs made .59 pound daily per head, as they 

 averaged 175 pounds at an average age of 295 days. 

 In the class for yearlings, the best gain was .36 

 pound per head daily, the average age being 622 

 days and the average weight 225 pounds. In 1888 

 they redeemed their record, since the champion 

 plate for lambs was won by a pen of Southdowns 

 that made the average daily gain of .60 pound. 

 They weighed 112 pounds when dressed, averaging 

 64.36 net to gross weight. Their average age was 

 291 days and their average weight 174 pounds. In 

 1890 the best gain made by Southdown lambs was 

 .59 pound per head daily by a pen averaging 166 

 pounds at an average age of 291 days. These 

 results show that while the Southdown has not made 

 as large gains as some others, yet when judged as fat 

 stock, they have succeeded in winning the champion- 

 ship more frequently than any other. 



Quality of mutton. — Under the conditions of its 

 native environment, the Southdown produces an 

 exceptionally fine quality of mutton, being fine in 

 texture, well flavored, and nicely mixed in propor- 

 tion of fat and lean. When too closely confined 

 and fed under conditions at variance with their 

 habitat, these qualities are apt to disappear and the 

 mutton becomes surcharged with fat. On this point 

 it will be interesting to quote Mr. T. EUmann, the 

 son of the first improver of Southdowns : "So great 



