126 Sheep-Farming 



erect. They were very black in coloring of face and 

 legs, and both sexes were horned. 



With the improvement in agriculture, the flocks 

 in this section felt the influence of the Southdown. 

 In 1847 it was stated, "Breeding sheep are chiefly a 

 cross between the Down and old Norfolk." Other 

 breeds were used, but the Southdown is responsible for 

 such of the improvement as can be attributed to 

 outside blood. For some years the stock' was known 

 as Southdown-Norfolk. In 1859 classes were given 

 them at the Norfolk Agricultural Association's meet- 

 ing, and they were named Suffolks. In 1867 the 

 Royal Agricultural Society offered special prizes for 

 the breed, and since 1880 it has been included in the 

 classifications of the shows of the Royal Agricultural 

 Society and the Smithfield Club. In recent years 

 the breed has won a creditable record in the slaughter 

 tests at Smithfield. 



In size, the Suffolk is larger than the Shropshire, 

 though smaller than the Hampshire. Its striking 

 characteristics are its dark black face with no wool 

 forward of the poll and the bare black legs. It fre- 

 quently stands rather high, an appearance sometimes 

 accentuated by shortness of belly wool. While hold- 

 ing a firm place in the intensive agriculture of its 

 native counties, it has not obtained a very wide popu- 

 larity in America. This may be partly because 

 it does not represent such a combination of wool 

 and mutton as is found in other Down breeds. The 



