20 BULLETIX 94, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTTJEE. 
wool. When exhibited in 1840, they were smaller, less compact, 
narrower in front, and lighter in color than the Hampshire of to-day. 
The present breed owes much of its excellence to the work of Wil- 
liam Humphrey, of Oak Ash, Newberg, and James Rawlence, of 
Bulbridge, Wilton, Hampshire. 
Flocks of Hampshires can be found to-day in Wiltshire, Berkshire, 
Dorsetshire, Sussex, and Surrey, besides their native county. At 
Isley, in Berkshire, as many as 33,000 Hampshires have been shown 
at the fair. Exportations have been made to the United States, 
Canada, Mexico, South America, South Africa, and to many countries 
of Europe. 
Importations of Hampshires were made to Virginia prior to the 
Civil War, but in the strife that followed they were neglected and all 
records were lost. It is said that the dark-faced sheep of North 
Carolina are descended from these Hampshires. 
In 1865, Thomas Messinger, of Great Neck, Long Island, made an 
importation. For more than a quarter of a century very few Hamp- 
shires were brought over, but about 1880 interest in the breed was 
revived and importations became more frequent. During the past 
few years they have been especially popular, and larger importations 
have been made of Hampshires than any other breed. One importa- 
tion numbered over a thousand ewes. 
No breed of sheep will give more satisfactory returns than the 
JIampshire, if accorded good care and given plenty of feed. Neither 
will any other breed deteriorate more rapidly, if these -are denied. 
They are unable to rustle for themselves to the extent of some other 
breeds, consequently they do not thrive upon broken or scanty 
pasture. They are especially adapted to an intensive system of 
farming, such as hurdling upon green forage crops, rape, turnips, etc. 
Purebred flocks of Hampshires are confined largely to the States of 
Kentucky; Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and New York in the East 
and Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Missouri in the West. Hampshire 
rams are used quite widely upon the range for crossing upon ewes of 
other breeds for the production of market lambs. The Hampshire 
lambs are large; they grow rapidly and attain their greatest perfection 
while comparatively young — the reason for their wide popularity. 
In the East the rams are frequently used for siring ''hothouse" 
lambs. 
The Hampshire, with possibly one exception (the Oxford), is the 
largest of the Down breeds, and it is excelled in size only by the 
Lincoln and the Cotswold among the long wools. Hampshire rams 
generally range in weight from 225 to 275 pounds and the ewes from 
175 to 200 pounds. The popularity of the Hampshire lamb speaks 
for the mutton qualities of this breed. 
The head of the Hampshire is very characteristic. The face is black, 
and they have a Roman nose. The ears are large, somewhat pointed, 
