ftvmivi 
VOL. XXVII. No. 4. I 
WHOLE No. 1300. I 
PRICE as.T3C CENTS 
S3.50 PEIt YEAR. 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S73, by T). D. T. Moore, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.] 
These sheep hi early days were valuable 
principally for their wool. They were large¬ 
framed, coarse, slow-feeding sheep ; very 
hardy, and accustomed to travel in search of 
the short sweet herbage which invariably pre¬ 
vails on limestone hills. At first the wool was 
used for the manufacture of cloth, which in 
early days was very coarse. In time finer 
sorts were necessary, possibly because, owing 
to improved management, long wool became, 
longer and stronger : then, as arable cultiva¬ 
tion improved, and the down laud was broken 
up, the sheep would be kept in closer com¬ 
pass, and by degrees their outline improved 
and feeding properties increased. VV e think 
it probable that a Leicester cross has been in¬ 
troduced, and to this may bo attributed, to 
some extent, the great aptitude for feeding 
which characterizes the brood. As a pure 
breed, Leicester* could not stand the severity 
of the W inters • but at the time of Bakxwet.i.’s 
marvelous success they were introduced upon 
tho Cotswold hills, and, though they speedily 
disappeared as a pure breed, they may have 
done good by increasing the tendency to feed, 
without materially altering the type of the 
sheep. Be this as it may—and it is a point 
that does not admit of proof—we find the 
Cotswold sheep of the present day remarka¬ 
ble for symmetry, early maturity, and weight. 
There can be no doubt that the establishment 
of tho Royal and local societies did much for 
this breod. formerly so little known. It has 
never been the fate of the Cotswold to be sup¬ 
ported by great patrons. Tho fanners, how 
ever, on the hills are a wealthy and highly in 
telligont class, and do not lack enterprise. Of 
late years, principally as a result of showing, 
the demand has greatly increased, and the 
best breeders make high averages. Indeed, 
the leading breeders experience such a lively 
demand for their sheep that showing is no 
longer neocssary : and as it is a costly busi¬ 
ness, and results in more or less injury to the 
stock that are fed up, they have dono wisely 
to withdraw from the arena, although the 
publio lose the. opportunity of seeing somo of 
the finest specimens. 
These sheep present a complete contrast to 
the Leiceaters, and, if they are indebted to 
them for early maturity and tendeucy to 
feed, they do not take after them in external 
form. Tho Cotswolds are the largest breed 
of domesticated sheep in the world, and, 
standing rather high upon the legs and having 
very grand heads, they have a truly imposing 
appearance. The features arc either white, 
gray, or mottled. The former predominate, 
but a little color in no way detracts from ap- 
peatunce or indicates impurity. Some years 
ago, and possibly to the present day, a flock 
of gray-faced sheep were bred near Bibury, 
by a Mr, SMITH. A sale of rams took place 
annually,and every animal was more or less 
colored, for tho purpose of crossing. With 
the Hampshire ewes, for example, gray-faced 
rams wore esteemed, the produce coming 
darker in the face in consequence. Such 
sheep would be serviceable years since in 
forming the Oxfordshire sheep. The head 
is rather large, wide across the forehead, the 
eyes full and prominent. It is considered a 
point of importance that the head should be 
well wooled, particularly the forehead and 
cranium, and that long locks hung down over 
the face. If tho eyes and upper part of the 
nose are covered, so much the better. Of 
Course wo are now describing a shearing ram; 
hut in all, whether male or female, bare heads 
are an abomination. The effect of the love¬ 
locks is striking, adding immensely to style. 
COTSWOLD SHEEP 
Our readers are familiar with these sheep, 
fine illustrations of which are herewith given. 
But a recent English writer has given some 
interesting facts concerning this breed, which 
will prove interesting. He says these sheep 
are natives of tho Cotswold or Cotteswolde 
HUls, which run through the eastern side 
of Gloucestershire, in a direction from 
southwest to northeast. The name Is 
derived from the practice in early times of 
protecting the sheep during Winter in cotes, 
or low sheds, which, according to Camdkn, 
were long ranges of buildings, frequent¬ 
ly three or four stories high, with low ceil¬ 
ings and with »u inclination at one end of 
each floor reaching to the next, by which the 
sheep were enabled to ascend to the topmost 
one. The antiquity of the Cotswold is estab¬ 
lished beyond contradiction. There is no rec¬ 
ord of sheep having existed in this country 
[England! prior to the Roman era. 
