British Breeds of Sheep 107 



The sources of improvement of Hampshire. — 

 Writing of the sheep of South Wiltshire, or the 

 chalk district, a report of 1844 says: "The princi- 

 pal live stock of this division of the county consists 

 of sheep, for which the nature of the soil and of the 

 farms is peculiarly adapted. Southdowns are nearly 

 universally the breed now, and although the sheep- 

 fold is a paramount object on a South Wilts farm, 

 the quahty of the animal is not neglected. As much 

 attention has of late years been paid to the improve- 

 ment of the breed of sheep in Wiltshire as in any 

 county in England. Many of the flockmasters of 

 Wilts have by judicious selection of stock from Sus- 

 sex (the home of the Southdown) brought the flocks 

 to a high state of perfection, and their stock being 

 dispersed throughout the county, has greatly im- 

 proved the breed of sheep. There are a few who 

 prefer the Hampshire or coarser kinds of sheep ; and 

 whether the forcing of lambs from their birth to be 

 fat in the autumn or for grazing as tegs is adopted, 

 it appears well, as the extraordinary production of 

 that breed brought to the fairs within the last few 

 years will prove; but the generality of farms are 

 stocked with Southdowns." A more detailed ac- 

 count of the sources of improvement comes from the 

 pen of John Wilkison, who says: "In the begin- 

 ning of the century rams were procured from the 

 best Sussex downs, less picturesque, but more sym- 

 metrical ; faces and legs dark brown, fore quarters 



