CHAPTER XVIII 

 THE COTSWOLD 



History. — The native home of the Cotswold is in the Cotswold 

 Hills of Gloucester, where the land, though not fertile, is rich in 

 lime and grows a short nutritious grass. 



As nearly as can be determined the Cotswold Hills formed one 

 of the first seats of sheep husbandry in England, and it seems that 

 long-wooled sheep have been kept there since the occupation of the 

 country by the Eomans. According to tradition, the sheep gave 

 the name to the hills, for the name Cotswold is supposed to be 

 derived from two words, " cote," meaning a shelter for small 

 animals, and " wold," referring to a wild, open country. The Cots- 

 wold sheep were noted for their long wool, which was in demand 

 both at home and abroad. In general appearance they resembled 

 the old Leicesters, but they were somewhat superior to them in 

 quality of wool (Fig. 104). 



The closing years of the eighteenth and the first quarter of the 

 nineteenth century formed the period of transition from the old 

 to the modern Cotsvi^old. Improved Leicesters were used by a 

 number of leading breeders, who in addition to introducing this 

 blood, practiced careful selection, having in view the improvement 

 of the form and quality of the breed without diminishing size or 

 materially reducing the weight of fleece. Marked improvement 

 was secured and the Cotswold took its place beside the Leicester 

 as an improved breed. A practice which undoubtedly contributed 

 to the excellence and popularity of the Cotswold was the holding 

 of annual ram sales on the farms of the breeders. These events 

 stimulated healthy rivalry and furnished opportunities for fruitful 

 studies of breeding (Fig. 105). 



Description. — The Cotswold is a large, upstanding, up headed 

 sheep which resembles the English Leicester, but it is more stylish, 

 being about on a par with the Border Leicester in this respect. 

 Its head is rather long and the head features are fine in outline. 

 The nose is more nearly straight than that of the Leicester and 

 the ears are longer, more flexible, and inclined rather upward, 

 while the Leicester's ears extend almost straight out from the head. 

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