exhibited at the Society's Meeting, 1882. 
589 
one type to another. But on no other grounds can the position 
be justifiable ; the Sussex is as much the nearest approximation 
to the original Shortwool type as the Dishley breed is to the best 
properties of the older Longwool variety ; and, upon its own 
soils, and for its own purpose, the Sussex, or Southdown, is 
still quite unsurpassable ; and ought, as the oldest, to take the 
lead. It has lent something to every other Down breed, but it 
is doubtful if it ever has been paid back by any one. The 
Oxfordshire Down contributed about thirty pens of shearling 
rams ; besides large classes of ewes, and lambs of both sexes. 
This, but for the fact that at Reading they were " at home," 
would argue a great increase in support for the Oxford breed. 
Nor can it be questioned th-at the breed does and ought to 
gain ground. It has all the merits of the Shropshire, and more 
size. It has also been found, in some strains, to milk above the 
average ; and to produce very fine lambs before midsummer. 
The entries at Reading were, with one or two exceptions, fairly 
uniforin ; but the establishment of the breed is still too recent 
to allow of any fixity of ty^e. Still, it is noticeable that 
Mr. Treadwell (who did not exhibit lambs) took both first prizes 
for tups ; and that he was highly commended for the only pen 
of ewes exhibited ; whilst he put on record, in the Catalogue, 
that his first-prize shearling is by a rival's (Mr. Howard's), 
No. 25. Mr. Treadwell's two-shear tup was bred by himself 
from his own stock, and was specially mentioned as being 
of " excellent type and far above others in the class." The 
absence of weight (so much to be regretted in each department) 
prevents one from instituting those comparisons with Shrop- 
shires and Hampshires at similar ages, which would be so 
instructive. Mr. A. F. Milton Druce was just as conspicuously 
first in his lambs of 1881 as Mr. Treadwell was in older classes ; 
and it is worth noticing that, to gain the two first prizes in close 
competition, he entered only one pen in each class. 
Beport of the Judges on Oxfordshire Downs. 
The Judges are of opinion that the Slvxirling Oxfordshire Down Barns were a 
very strong class, and a credit to the breeders ; being of great size and good 
quality. In the older class of Earns, the first-prize ram, we consider, is an 
excellent type of an Oxfordshire Down ; far superior to any other in the same 
class. The Shearling Ewes, with one or two exceptions, were an excellent 
class. 
The Classes 103 and 104, Bam and Ewe Lambs, were good classes, and of 
great promise. 
J. P. Case. 
H. OVEKMAX. 
