H USB; 
Of SHEEP; 
Should the farm be calculated to maintain a breeding 
flock of fheep, and polfefs a right to an extenfive fheep- 
walk on fome contiguous, airy, and fei'tile, down, the ad¬ 
vantages to be derived to the farmer from fuch kind of 
fcock, might, in the prefent times, be rendered uncom¬ 
monly extenfive; not only by the faie of the annual pro¬ 
duce, and the high price of the wool, but by the practice 
of folding , which is the cheapeft dung-cart in the world. 
Here the unceafing objeft of the farmer mull; be to pro¬ 
vide ample food in all feafons, by growing large quanti¬ 
ties of turnips, the production of which not only provides 
liberally for the flock, but enfures plentiful crops of corn 
to follow, as well as adequate fupplies of red and white 
clover, cow-grafs, and other artificial grafles ; which, af¬ 
ter being cut and made into hay, leaves a fuccefiion of 
lays and relays of after-grals, highly beneficial to the fheep 
and lambs. 
Of the numerous breeds of fheep which England boafts, 
the South Down or Sussex Breed has unqueftionably 
the advantage. This, as well as their name, they derive 
from their pafturage on that alpine traft of country called 
the South Downs of Suflex, which extend from eaft to 
well the whole length of that country, and abut upon 
the Englifh Channel. Here the pafture being fliort, learns 
them to be quick feeders ; while their expoled fituation 
renders them hardy, and extremely well adapted for the 
fold, to which they will travel a long way without fatigue. 
The mutton of this breed is alfo preferred for its rich fla¬ 
vour and lendernefs, acquired undoubtedly from the aro¬ 
matic herbage of the South Downs, heightened perhaps by 
the faline atmofphere. This, therefore, is the kind of flock 
we fhould with to recommend, in preference to all others ; 
.particularly where the adaptation of the feed, and other 
conveniencies, can be made fubfervient to their plentiful 
maintenance. This favourite breed is diftinguiihed by 
having no horns ; grey or black faces and legs; fine bones ; 
long fmall necks; and by being rather low before, high 
on the fhoulder, and light in the fore-quarter; hides 
good ; loin thick and broad; back-bone rather high ; 
•thigh full; mutton fine in grain. The wool is fliort, Very 
clofe and fine ; in length of ftaple from two to three 
inches, and of much more value, generally fpeaking, than 
any that is fheared from our other breeds. Where the 
ewes are full kept, they moftly produce twin lambs, nearly 
in the proportion of one-third of the whole $ which are, 
when dropped, well woolled. The Dishley or Bakewell 
breed had for fome time the pre-eminence ; but it is an in- 
difputable faff, that gentlemen and opulent farmers have 
been, for feveral years paft, eftablifhing large flocks of 
South Down iheep in every part of England. It is found 
that the ewes are capable of being kept till between four 
and five years old, and liill maintain the -work of the fold. 
The South Down (heep, alfo from the compacfnefs of their 
form, and their legs being fmall and fliort, conliderably 
outweigh both the Dorfet and Norfolk breeds in propor¬ 
tion to the fize of the catcafe, being ponderous in a fmall 
compafs. Their liardinefs is eftimated according to the 
darknefs of the colour in the face and legs ; whenc e j'muts 
are generally preferred. They confunte lefs food in pro¬ 
portion to their weight than moil other breeds, yet keep 
themfelves in better order. 
But the favourite fpeculation of the prefent day in 
iheep, is almoft exclufively bellowed on the Ovejas Marines 
of Spain, called by us Merinos. In that country they 
maintain innumerable flocks of this fine breed of fheep ; 
part of which, during winter, feed in the levels, and in 
iummer are driven up again into the mountains. From 
this breed is procured the bell and fineft wool. Aftariz 
computes the number of Spaniih ihepherds at forty thou- 
fand. The fheep-walks are for the moll part open downs 
with little flielter, except here and there a grove of chef- 
nut-trees, or ever-green oaks; the turf differs effentially 
from that of the Engiifli lheep-walks, in containing very 
few fpecies of grafs, being chiefly compofed of the frnaller 
papilionaceous plants. For this reafon it has been gene- 
Yol. X. No. 679. 
. N D R Y. 497 
rally allowed that the Spaniih breed of iheep is fuperior to 
any in the world, for the. delicacy of tire mutton and the 
beauty of the fleece. This valuable breed of Iheep was firlt 
introduced into England by his prefent majefty, under the 
direction of fir Joieph Banks; and they are faid to anfwer 
fo well in the production of large quantities of the fineft 
wool, that in a few years it Is hoped our clothiers will be 
no longer fubjefted to the neceflity of importing fuch 
quantities of Spaniih, or any other kind of foreign wool. 
The Merino iheep are by no means beauties. The males 
have horns, but the females are fometimes without; whits 
faces and legs ; the body not very perfect in ihape; ra¬ 
ther long in the legs ; fine in the bone ; a degree of throa- 
tinefs or production of loofe pendulous fkin under the 
neck; and the pelt fine and clear. 
The affinity of alpine pafturage, and aromatic feed, which 
our South Down breed feems to bear with the Merinos, 
has naturally pointed them out for a cross by the Spa¬ 
niih ram; whence the breed called Anglo-Merino have 
their origin. On this crofs breed, in all probability, much 
fuccefs will depend ; for when we refleft that the tender- 
nefs of the Merino breed, in coming from a warmer cli¬ 
mate, will, by the hand of Nature,- be adapted to a colder 
climate with us, while the offspring gradually partake of 
the fuperior hardinefs of the dam, they will not only throw 
fleeces of three or four times the value of the South Down 
fheep, but be equal to the work of the fold, and in fatten¬ 
ing rife to nearly the fame weight with our native South 
Down wethers. This, however, is a fpeculation to which 
we with every imaginable fuccefs ; but the event of it muft 
remain in the bol’om of time.—For other particulars rela¬ 
tive to the Merino breed of fheep, fee under their generic 
name Ovis, in this Encyclopedia. 
In the choice of a ram, Mr. Gulley has thus directed 
our attention to the principal perfections: “ Head fine and 
fmall; noflrils wide and expanded, eyes prominent, rather 
bold or daring, ears thin, collar thin from brealt to fhoul- 
ders, tapering gradually to where the neck and head join, 
which fhould be fine and graceful, being free from any 
coarfe leather hanging down ; Ihoulders broad and full, 
joining fo eafy to the collar forward and chine backward, 
as to leave no hollow in either place; mutton upon arm 
or fore-thigh quite to knee; legs upright, with clean 
fine bone, equally clear from fuperfluous fkin and coarfe 
hairy wool, from the knee and hough downwards ; breafl 
broad and well forward, to keep the fore legs at a proper 
widenefs; girth or cheft full arid deep, and, inftead of a 
hollow behind the Ihoulders, that part by fome called fore¬ 
flank quite full; back and loins broad, fiat, and ftraight, 
from which the ribs muft rife with a fine circular arch ; 
belly ftraight; quarters long and full 5 mutton quite down 
to hough, which fhould neither ftand in norout; twill 
or junction of infide of thighs deep, wide, and full, which, 
with the broad breafl, keep the fore-legs open and up¬ 
right ; thin pelt, covered with fine, bright, foft, wool.” 
We fhall here, for the general information 01 the far¬ 
mer and grazier, jull mention the other breeds of fheep in¬ 
digenous in England. 
The Dishley or Bakewell Breed, row called the 
New Leicejlerjhire Breed, is diftinguiihed from the other 
long-woolled fheep by having lively eyes, clean heads 
■without horns, ftraight broad flat backs, barrel-fhaped 
bodies; fmall bones; thin pelts, and a difpofition to 
make fat at an early age ; to which may be added a fu- 
penority in the finenefs of the grain and flavour of the 
mutton to that of other fheep of the large long-woolled 
breeds. The principal objections to this improved breed 
have been made on the grounds of their fattening too 
much, and the mutton in confequence becoming lets de¬ 
licate in its flavour than in that of other breeds that re¬ 
quire a greater length of time in the procefs; on the de¬ 
ficiency in the quantity of wool which they produce, and 
on their not being calculated for the fold. 
The Lincolnshire Breed is known by having no 
horns; white faces; long thin weak carcafes; thick rough 
white legs; bones large; pelts thick; flow feeding; mutton 
€ L . coarfe*. 
