THE SHEEP. 
51 
THE SOUTH DOWN BREED. 
become as large as the Leicester and other Long-woolled breeds of the plains ; and it has been long making progress to this condi¬ 
tion in the hands of the principal Sussex breeders. But the change is one which, in proportion as it may adapt the breed to a 
richer country, may render it less suited to those more dry and steril tracts over which it has been spread, and in which hardiness 
and soundness of constitution, and the capacity of subsisting on scanty food, are properties to be regarded, as much as the dispo¬ 
sition to arrive at early maturity and fatten quickly. Nevertheless, the past efforts of the Sussex breeders to improve the 
breed, by rearing it in a more artificial condition than is suited to it, have hitherto been eminently successful in rendering it 
of more economical value. The earlier improvers of this breed paid especial attention to the fineness of the wool, which then bore 
a high price for the purposes of the clothier ; but attention having been insensibly directed to other properties, the staple of the 
wool became longer, and the filaments less fine, and now, by changes in the demand, from causes to be immediately adverted to, the 
relative value of this kind of wool greatly declined; and, in the cultivation of the breed, the production of fine and delicate wool 
is every where regarded as secondary to the properties of form, and the value of the animals for food. 
The South Down Breed has spread over a great tract of country, and either superseded the pre-existing varieties, or been so 
mingled with them in blood, as to have modified all their characters. But it is in an especial degree in the countries of the chalk- 
formation that it has been generally established. It has superseded the ancient breeds of Berkshire, Hampshire, and Wiltshire ; 
and, extending into the counties to the westward, has greatly circumscribed the limits of the horned Dorsets. It is spread from 
the wastes of Surrey to the heaths of Norfolk, displacing the ancient breeds, or mixing with them, so as to obliterate their former 
distinctions. It has spread beyond the countries of the chalk-formation, although in decreasing numbers. It has extended into 
Herefordshire, and partially into Devonshire and the lower parts of Wales, and northwards even to Westmoreland and Cumberland. 
But, beyond the limits of the countries of the true chalk, or of the calcareous district in contact with the chalk, it is only found 
occupying tracts of narrow extent, or is employed as a means of improving the flocks of the heaths, commons, or other tracts, 
which are still occupied by races of smaller short-woolled Sheep. It has been introduced into Scotland, and partially cultivated 
with some success ; but it has made no general progress in that country, and does not seem calculated to displace the hardier 
mountain breeds already acclimated. 
The wide extension of a breed so greatly improved as the South Down, must be regarded as having been in a singular degree 
beneficial. Although itself the native of a dry country, and therefore, it may be supposed, imperfectly suited to a humid soil and 
atmosphere, yet its range is not confined to very narrow limits. It is naturally of a healthy constitution, patient of scanty 
herbage, and, from the closeness of its fleece, fitted to resist changes of temperature. Further, like every race of Sheep, it pos¬ 
sesses the faculty of becoming inured to new conditions of soil and temperature j and experience accordingly has shown, that it 
may be gradually naturalized in countries very different from that from which it has been derived. By crossing, it can be readily 
amalgamated with all the varieties of Sheep which can be referred to the Black-faced Heath Breed as their type j and it can be 
made to improve the Black-faced Heath Breed itself in situations in which hardiness and adaptation to a rude climate and country 
are not more to be regarded than the improvement of the form and fleece. 
The wool of the South Down Sheep weighs, when washed, about 3 lb. the fleece; but, in some of the more highly-fed 
flocks of the lower countries, its weight is now 4 lb. or more. The staple, or length of the filaments, is from 2J to 4 inches, while 
that of the older breed rarely exceeded 2 inches, and more frequently fell short of that length. The wool, although fine and short, 
is somewhat harsh and brittle, and never was well fitted for the manufacture of the finer woollen cloths, requiring always a large 
admixture of the softer wools of home or foreign growth. But the war with France having at length excluded the manufacturers 
of England from most of the foreign markets which supplied the raw material, the woollen fabrics of the country were chiefly 
prepared from native wool. This circumstance gave a high relative value, not only to the South Down wool, but to all the finer 
and shorter kinds produced in the country, as that of the Norfolk, the Wiltshire, the Dorset, the Ryeland, the Cheviot, and the 
other varieties of Short-woolled Sheep which then abounded in the country. But, when the memorable events of 1814 opened 
all the ancient marts of trade, wool of superior fineness was obtained in the quantity required from the countries of Europe 
in which the Merino race was cultivated, and, after a time, from the boundless wilds of the Australian colonies. This produced 
an immediate change in the market-price of all the finer wools formerly employed in the manufacture of woollen cloth, and at 
length caused them to be applied to other purposes. In place of being used for the manufacture of woollen cloth, they were exten¬ 
sively employed for the lighter and looser fabrics classed under the name of Worsteds. This difference in the destination of the 
shorter wools, coupled with the diminution of the market-price, has produced an important change in the cultivation of Sheep in 
this country. It has led to an extension in the number of the Long-woolled Sheep, and a decrease in the number of those culti¬ 
vated for the fineness of their wool; and, in the case of the latter, has caused attention to be directed rather to the weight than 
to those properties of the fleece which fit it for the manufacture of cloth. All the lesser kinds of Sheep, as the Ryeland, Morfe 
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