880 



Suffolk Sheep. 



[Jan., 



keeping qualities are concerned. It has an advantage over the 

 former in that three-quarters of a ton of hydrated lime is 

 chemically equivalent to a ton of ground limestone. One ton 

 of pure burnt lime becomes 26i cwt. when it is hydrated, and 

 it will therefore be seen that there is no reason why the farmer 

 should pay fancy prices for the hydrate, which he can quite 

 easily prepare himself from lump lime, or alternatively, why 

 he should trouble to obtain gi'ound lime, which not infrequently 

 is largely composed of ground-up " core " (carbonate), ashes 

 and air-slaked small lime," and for which he is usually 

 charged at least 5s. a ton above the price of good lump lime. 



****** 



SUFFOLK SHEEP. 



S. E. Sheeavood. 



That which first attracts one in the Suffolk sheep is its thorough- 

 bred appearance. The head, the legs below the knee and hocks 

 are bare of wool and covered with fine, jet-black, glossy (not 

 mossy) hair. The face is long, with a fine muzzle, especially 

 in the ewe — indicative of a good breeder and milker. The eye 

 is bright and full, the ears are thin, silky and alert, not droop- 

 ing. When in full fleece the sheep bears a wealth of fine, dense 

 wool, not shading ofi: into dark wool or hair but clearly defined 

 from the black head and legs and noted for its pure whiteness, 

 fineness, elasticity and strength. The whole carriage is alert, 

 showing stamina and quality. Indicative of the latter is the 

 fine but strong, flat, clean bone of the leg. The skin is fine, 

 soft and pink. 



History and Progress. — The breed originated by the mating 

 of the native horned ewes of Norfolk with Southdown rams. 

 This is recorded by Arthur Young in his General View of the 

 Agriculture of the County of Suffolk published in 1797 ; and the 

 famous Coke of Norfolk was one who made the experiment. 

 The resulting cross was immediately recognised as a fine 

 butcher's sheep and soon became popular in East Anglia. By 

 process of further crossing and selection a fixed type was 

 evolved, and the Suffolk has been recognised as a pure breed 

 since 1810. In 1886 all interests were united by the formation 

 of the Suffolk Sheep Society and systematic keeping of records, 

 and the breed quickly made its mark among the other breeds 

 of Great Britain. 



