1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
235 
New Oxfordshire Ram , imported by C. B. Reybold, Esq. 
weight of mutton than formerly. To him wool is of 
secondary importance. The farmer whose land is ex¬ 
posed, and affords only a scanty pasturage, will find 
his profit rather in wool than in carcase; he could not, 
as respects the latter, compete, even if he would, with 
the farmer of the vale a few miles distant, but he will 
make up his profits in weight of wool. He therefore 
takes care that the old strain shall not prevail over the 
Leicester cross, (the benefits of which he is not alto¬ 
gether untvilling to lose,) and adapts his management 
to the circumstances in which he is placed. He does 
not lose sight of the fattening qualities and early maturi¬ 
ty; but he as little loses sight of hardiness, fertility, 
and size, and of weight of fleece.” 
A breed which may, perhaps, be called a branch of 
the Cotswolds, has rather recently appeared in England, 
under the name of the “ New-Oxfordshires .” They 
have been very successful competitors at the great 
shows of the Royal Society, and the Smithfield Club, for 
the prizes on “ Long-wooled ” sheep, as distinct (rom 
the Leicesters. One of the most celebrated breeders 
of this variety, is Mr. Charles Large, of Broadwell, 
Oxfordshire. From him Mr. C. B. Reybold of Dela¬ 
ware City, Del., obtained the two famous rams which 
he exhibited at the show of the N. Y. State Ag. Soc. 
at Saratoga, and the remarkable weight of which we 
mentioned in our April number. 
Mr. Robert Smith, in a prize essay on the breeding 
and management of sheep, (written for the Royal Ag¬ 
ricultural Society,) thus describes the New-Oxfords: 
“ They are of large dimensions, and have a great 
propensity to fatten, arising chiefly from, their wide 
frame, quietude, and open texture of flesh, which is of 
quick growth, and consequently expands itself more 
rapidly than many others; but they do not possess that 
exactness of form peculiar to smaller animals, though 
they have a better carriage. For several years the 
male animals have been eagerly sought after, with a 
view to incrrase the size and frame of other long-wool¬ 
ed breeds.” 
MOW IT CAM 11X2 
Eds, Cultivator— -In the May number of the Cul¬ 
tivator, I noticed the remarks of Mr. Allen, with his 
very sensible request that the “ Legislature of Connec¬ 
ticut, at their next session, would pass a law similar 
to the one in Massachusetts,” for preventing animals 
from running at large in the highway. For Mr. Al¬ 
len’s sake, and for the comfort and convenience of all 
the good people of “ the land of steady habits,” we 
wish so too ; and when we look at the fitness of the 
law, and its general influence on the well being of the 
farmer, we wish that it might be adopted by every 
state in the Union. Nor do we consider this wish vain, 
or one unlikely at some time to be realized. 
The utility of such a law is unquestionable. It is 
the pledge of the public to guarantee individual rights 
in property, a portion of which is taken for public be¬ 
nefit. When a “highway is laid out,” the only claim 
which the public make upon the premises, is the right 
of travel and repair. The right of soil with the grass 
and trees growing upon it, remain vested in the owner 
of the premises from whom the land is taken. This 
point is settled by common law of ancient date. Thus 
it is said : “ Though every highway is said to be the 
King’s, yet this must be understood so as that in every 
highway the King and his subjects may pass and repass 
at their pleasure.” 
“But the freehold, and all the profit of the trees, 
&c., belong to the lord of the soil, or the owner of the 
land on each side of the way.” Also, “ the lord of the 
soil shall have an action of trespass for digging the 
ground.” See abridgment of common law, voi. 3, page 
694. “ Land covered by a highway may be recovered by 
a writ of ejectment,” where the public abuse their right. 
Lord Mansfield in delivering the opinion of the court in 
a case of ejectment, says—“the King has nothing in an 
highway, but a passage for himself and his people, but 
the freehold and all the profits belong to the owner of 
the soil; so do all the trees upon it and mines under it, 
which may be extremely valuable.” Mr. Justice Fos¬ 
ter says—“the owner of the soil has all above and un - 
