MANAGEMENT OF HONEY-BEES.-NO. 9. 
177 
breed really enabling it to flourish in every situa¬ 
tion where sheep are found, is one of their inherent 
properties, and so highly appreciated by breeders, 
that Sir John Sinclair quotes the Southdown as the 
standard of perfection in this respect. As an addi¬ 
tional proof we may mention that they bear folding 
(a very severe test of constitution) better than any 
other breed, and can be kept' in large flocks without 
loss or inconvenience; a circumstance having no 
little weight with sheep-masters, who know the 
disadvantages of a deficiency in this respect. Ano¬ 
ther result of this property of great importance in 
their native country, is the close stocking they will 
bear; it being now generally conceded, we believe, 
in England, that they will “ live on the land ” in the 
proportion of three to two over the other improved 
breeds. These hardy animals seem to have set 
disease*at defiance; the rot, scab, and red water, 
being unknown among them, while their sound, 
deer-like hoofs are'perfect models of w T hat a sheep’s 
should be. They are very prolific, one-third or 
one-fourth of a flock usually producing twins, and 
bringing them up well, the ewes being excellent 
nurses and fond mothers, so that as many lambs 
as there are ewes, is a common yield where num¬ 
bers are grown. 
The wool of this breed, like that of all mutton 
sheep, has but small pretensions to fineness, the fibre 
being about the 600th of an inch in diameter; a 
quality well adapted to our farmers’ home con¬ 
sumption, and that which our country machinery 
can work to advantage—finer being more difficult to 
manufacture, and coarser not felting sufficiently. 
The fleece usually averages four pounds per head 
from the ewes, and as high as eight or nine from 
the bucks; being very close and compact, and not 
parting on the back, it forms a complete protection 
against snow and rain, no trifling advantage through 
a northern winter. 
But in speaking thus highly of the Southdowns, 
we do not mean to include all the races of black¬ 
faced sheep found in England, there being no less 
than six distinct varieties, none of which, with the 
exception of the Norfolk and Southdowns, have 
been objects of much attention or improvement. 
The Norfolks, however, even in their own country 
hold no rivalry with the Southdowns. Some of 
these inferior varieties have, we believe, been im¬ 
ported into this country, but we are confident a 
comparison with the improved breed would soon 
reduce their pretensions, and rank them among the 
host of common and worthless sheep with which 
England yet abounds—possessing little excellence 
in either form or wool. 
We would now call the attention of the public 
to the remarkable adaptation of the Southdowns to 
the various parts of our own country. On the 
bleak hill side, in the fertile valley, in the home¬ 
stead meadow, or the vast prairie, they are alike 
flourishing and content; and whether facing the 
rough blasts of a northern winter, or luxuriating in 
the warm sunshine of a southern season, they 'will 
find but few superiors among the woolly tribe. 
Quickly acclimated, they endure the long cold win¬ 
ters of the northern and eastern states with no 
other food than hay ; coming into winter quarters 
in fine order, and retaining their condition through 
six months of dry feeding. In the south and west 
the shorter and warmer seasoh being more conge¬ 
nial, would allow of their living as on their native 
downs, on but little hay and a few roots. 
Where mutton is an object with the farmer, it is 
desirable to have a sheep possessing the property of 
fattening rapidly with small consumption of food, 
and we believe the Southdown is eminently calcu¬ 
lated to fill this niche. Their early maturity and 
quiet habits peculiarly fit them for graziers in the 
vicinity of large cities or towns, where their supe¬ 
rior quality of mutton would always command the 
highest price; while their capability of travelling 
renders them great favorites with the droverj and 
enables the more distant farmer to raise them with 
advantage. For the farmer keeping but a small 
flock for family use, we are convinced that no breed 
is more suitable or profitable, both for wool and 
mutton, than this, or some of its crosses. With 
the Leicesters they produce a large animal of good 
form, great aptitude to fatten, and very early maturi¬ 
ty—living on less and poorer food than the long- 
woolled sheep. Crossed with the Cotswolds, the 
produce possesses greater aptitude to fatten, com¬ 
bined with power of endurance. As an instance of 
this cross, we need only refer to the two wethers 
bred and fed by Mr. McIntyre, of Albany, that at¬ 
tained the great weight of 210 pounds, and this 
without extraordinary keeping. The cross with 
the common mongrels of our country, when good 
individuals have been selected, has been very valua¬ 
ble ; everything being gained in form and constitu¬ 
tion and nothing lost in wool, while the maturity 
and thriftiness of the native has been much im¬ 
proved. 
Some of the best importations into this country 
from the flocks of Messrs. Elman, Coke, Webb, 
and Grantham, are in the possession of Messrs. 
Rotch, McIntyre, Cope, Waite, and Bagg; Messrs. 
Sherwood and Allen, and several other gentle¬ 
men, also have excellent specimens of this breed, 
having purchased their stock from Mr. Rotch. 
We are not disappointed to find that the Southdowns 
maintain here the high reputation they enjoy at 
home, satisfied, as we are, that they only require to 
be better known to be universally admired for their 
fine forms, and highly appreciated by the farmers 
for their superior mutton qualities. 
MANAGEMENT OF HONEY BEES.—NO. 9. 
Swarming. —The cause of swarming, in all cases, 
is an excess of population, the bees not having room 
for all to work to advantage. When bees are placed 
in very large hives, or when they are quartered in 
an open room, as is sometimes done, they never 
swarm. Swarming may also be prevented by af¬ 
fording additional room, either at the bottom, top, 
or side of the hive during the swarming season. 
As a matter of profit, in the increase of stocks, bees 
should never be placed in rooms, or in hives larger 
than twelve inches square. If we should hive two 
swarms, the one in a hive two feet square, and the 
other in a hive one foot square ; or in hives of the 
same solid contents, though differently shaped, the 
result of the increase of each, at the end of five 
years, would be, with good management, about as 
follows : viz., the swarm in the larger hive would 
about half fill it with comb the first year; the 
second year it would be completed, but no new 
