32 
The Sheep Stock of Gloucestershire. 
Catch Crops. — There are seven systems of cropping which 
include catch crops. Two from Hants (one of them from the 
Isle of Wight), two from Somersetshire, one each from Notts., 
Essex, and Wilts. 
In answer to the question, “ What variations in the above 
(Rotation) are at times considered necessary ? ” only eight 
correspondents answer “ none.” This is out of one hundred 
and seven answers from correspondents, who give the system 
they themselves practice, and who in some few instances give 
two, or even three examples of the rotations carried out on 
their farms. The different systems generally arise from the 
fact that the soil farmed is not all the same, though in some 
cases stock is the cause, i.e., early or ram-lambs, milk, &c. 
The conclusion of the whole matter is that a hard and fast 
system of rotation is neither desirable nor necessary. It is 
necessary to change the crops from year to year ; the same 
crop should not follow in succession unless under exceptional 
circumstances, but provided the land is kept clear of weeds 
and in good manurial condition the farmer may follow any 
system or no system at all, or he may change from time to 
time. The principle to follow nowadays is to grow what will 
pay best, or what will suit the circumstances or the occasion. 
P. McConnell, B.Sc., F.G.S. 
North Wycke, 
Southminster. 
THE SHEEP STOCK OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 
I. COTSWOLD SHEEP. 
In view of the forthcoming visit of the Royal Agricultural 
Society to the borders of the Cotswold country it has been 
thought that some account of the native breed of sheep would 
be of interest. The breed of Cotswold sheep derives its 
name from the Cotswold Hills, an elevated tract of rolling, 
down-like country with an area of some four hundred and 
seventy square miles, extending over a considerable portion of 
Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. These hills have been 
famous for their sheep from time immemorial. Whether the 
name is actually derived, as Camden tells us, from the 
practice of “ cotting ” or housing the sheep in winter is open 
to question . 1 
1 Among the sources from which information for this paper has been 
gleaned must be mentioned the essays prefixed to Vols. 1 and 2 of the 
Cotswold Flock Book. To these we may add two delightful books descriptive 
of the Cotswold country, one by Mr. Hutton and the other by Herbert Evans. 
