230 
Farminf) of Oxjbi'dshire. 
The produce of good and well selected cross-bred ewes and rams 
are now more uniform in colour and size than sheep bred from 
Down motliers and Cotswold sires. There formerly existed 
much difficulty in keeping a newly formed half-bred flock to one 
character. The first cross and their produce will be dissimilar : 
some will partake too much of the long-wool, while others are 
too small and short-coated. The owner formerly divided his 
flock into three parts, putting a half-bred ram to the ewes that 
were about right — a Cotswold to the small ones and a Down to 
the coarser sheep. By constant attention to these points a flock 
may be bi'ought to some degree of uniformity ; but the breeder 
frequently found that if the fleece was a little too short or the 
face rather too white, by using pure Cotswold or Down rams he 
rushed into the other extreme, the produce too much resembling 
their sires. There is now no need of running back to the pure 
breeds, as there are numerous Down-Cotswold rams to be found 
varying in size, colour, and wool, according to the fancy of the 
breeder, which will meet the deficiencies of any half-bred flock. 
Some farmers have failed in preserving the true character of the 
Down-Cotswold, from using inferior rams. Because the eWes 
were mongrels they thought any cross-bred sheep with a grey 
face would do. No such thing : the less distinct the breed of 
ewes the more pure and well-bred should be the ram ; conse- 
quently a sheep should be procured from the oldest and best 
Down-Cotswold breeders. The lambs would be more like the 
ram, and so produce a more even lot of sheep than if he had been 
put to any true-bred flock. 
The most celebrated Down-Cotswold flocks are at South 
Leigh, Eynsham, Brize Norton, and Little Milton. They have 
eacii their peculiar merits, and it is a difficult task to say which is 
the best. Those at South Leigh are admired for their uniformity 
of size and colour ; at Eynsham for their great weight and gene- 
ral usefulness ; at Brize Norton for length of fleece and aptitude 
to fatten ; while those at Little Milton are celebrated for their 
symmetry and early maturity.* 
The Down-Cotswolds at South Leigh have been bred by their 
proprietor for 20 years, and during that period he has never used 
any but cross-bred ewes and rams. These sheep have been very 
successful at Birmingham shows. 
* The -writer, having been requested by the President to give the names of the 
principal ram-breeders in the county, mentions the following as the most cele- 
brated Of Down-Cotswolds: Mr. Wm. Gillett, of South Leigh; the Messrs. 
Druce, of Plynsliam ; Mr. .7. Gillett, of Hrize Norton ; and Mr. J. liitchman, erf 
Little Milton. Of Cotswolds: Mr. Cother, of Middle Aston ; Mr. J. Gillett, of 
iNIinster Lovell ; Mr. J. Hill, of Alverscot Downs ; Mr. Thomas Gillett, of Kil- 
kenny Farm ; Mr. Humphrey Tuckwell, of Signet ; the Messrs. Batemijn, of 
Astlmll ; and Mr. Allen Faulkner, of Bury Barnes. Mr. W. Newton, of Crow- 
Biaisli, is the chief breeder of Hampshire-down rams. 
