b(j2 = 296 
Practical Agriculture. 
wide ; and the space between them and the last rib on either 
side as narrow as possible, thus preventing the dropping of the 
belly. The legs should be of proportionate length ; the hind- 
leg full in the inside at the point called the twist ; the hock 
or hough turning rather out. The fore-legs should be straight 
from the breast to the foot, and not what is generally termed 
knock-kneed. The belly is well defended with wool, and the 
fleece^ comes down well to the knee and the hock. The wool is 
short, close, curled, and very fine, and free from projecting 
fibres ; and a skin, not blue, but of a nice cherry hue, is in 
Babraham and favour. The Babraham and Merton Southdowns, developed 
Merton South- J brought to perfection in the highly farmed counties of 
Cambridge and Norfolk, attain to larger size, with grander fore- 
quarters and greater expansion of frame, with specially well- 
formed shoulders, as well as broad loins, full rumps, and heavy 
legs of mutton. 
Qualifications. The ewes are prolific and are good nurses ; the breed is hardy, 
while possessing great aptitude to fatten, and is adapted for the 
active and working life of grazing the lofty Downs and travel- 
ling to manure the fallow and wheat lands. The mutton is 
proverbially delicious in grain and flavour, and fetches a higher 
Weights of price in the market than any other. From 12 to 14 lbs. per 
muttun and quarter was at one time considered a fair weight for a two-year- 
■ old wether, and the finished sheep was often four or five years 
old, when it weighed perhaps 18 lbs. or 20 lbs. per quarter. 
Now, the Southdowns are generally fit for the butcher at 13 to 
15 months old, and up to the weight just mentioned ; while the 
dead-weight of two-shear wethers is 20 lbs. or 22 lbs., and up 
to 30 lbs. per quarter ; some at the Christmas shows appearing 
with still greater weights. 
The fleece averages at least 3J lbs. in the hill, and 4 lbs. tc 
6 lbs. in the lowland districts. 
Southdown flocks have been established in several counties 
beside the south ; and some are found both in Scotland an( 
Ireland. But the breed, like the Leicester, has proved of mos 
value for its improvement of inferior or coarser breeds : and then 
are few, if any, short-wooUed breeds in Britain which have no 
derived advantage from crosses of Southdown blood. 
Ham]»liiie The Hampshire or West Country Downs are a new breed createc 
Down shec|i. xhc crossing of Southdowns with the old Wiltshire Hornei 
and Berkshire Knot sheep early in the present century. The fin 
symmetry, small bone, broad back and loins, and feeding pro 
pensity of the Sussex sheep were, with varying results accordin 
to the different flocks crossed, and the judgment exercised i 
selection and matching, united with the size, early maturity c 
growth, and hardihood of constitution of the Hants and Wilt 
II 
