228 
Farming of 0.rfurdsJiire. 
kept south of the Cotswold district ; they cut a heavier fleece 
than the Southdowns, and produce a greater weight of equally 
good mutton in a shorter time ; but they are apt to run hairy in 
the wool, big in the bone, and sour in the head — sure indications 
of a coarse and unthrifty animal. A great many of the ewes 
that are now kept of this breed are put to a Cotswold or half- 
bred ram. There are comparatively few Down lambs bred. 
The flock at Preston Crowmarsh, which consists of GOO ewes, is 
admirably managed, and 130 rams were sold or let last year : 
tlie spirited proprietor gave 50 guineas for the hire of a Soutli- 
down ram, which has much improved his flock. The Hamp- 
shires at Newenham Murren are remarkable for their great size ; 
and most of this sort found in Oxfordshire are a very useful style 
of sheep. The tegs when fat at 14 months old will weigh about 
8^ stone (68 lbs.), and shear a fleece varying from 5 to 7 lbs. 
But the present " glory of the county " — the most profitable 
sheep to the producer, the butcher, and the consumer, are the 
Half-breds. Yet this is not a well-defined a])pellation, as tiie 
names of animals ought to convey a description of their properties. 
Now, a cross between the Ryland and Welsh, or Cheviot and 
Highland sheep are half-breds, but they are not the half-breds of 
Oxfordshire. A more intelligible name for this cLass of sheep, 
and one which might be generally used, would be the " Down- 
Cotswold." The Down-Cotswold sheep of this county Mere 
originally a cross between tlie Cotswold ram and Hampshire-down 
ewe ; but the cross, having been bred from for nearly 20 years 
without the infusion of any fresh blood, has hecome a distinct 
breed of sheep : quite as distinct and quite as jiure as the sort 
called Shropshire- Doxmis. In fact these two varieties resemble 
each other so much that, when classed together at Gloucester, 
many considered them one kind of sheep. The Shropshires are 
very useful, and a credit to any county, yet there is little doubt 
that they were originally formed by a mixture of long and short- 
woolled blood. The sui)eri()rity of the Down-Cotswold sheep 
consists in their retaining the excellences of those celebrated 
breeds without their defects. Tims they combine the early ma- 
turity, heavy carcase, and ample fleece of tlie Cotswold, with the 
fine wool and mutton of the Downs. Tliey do not indeed, in meat 
or fleece, come up to the full weiglit of the Cotswold, but in monicd 
value there is little difference. The half-bred tegs may average 
9 stone, and clip 7 or 8 lbs. of wool : they will bear harder fold- 
ing, and fatten with less food than the Cotswold. If a farmer 
kept 100 Cotsvvolds, he could maintain 115 Down-Cotswolds, the 
same number of Ham])sliires, and 120 Southdowns on the same 
food. The farmers on the stonebrash seldom keep more than 
75 sheep to 100 acres, while the occupiers of the light loams 
