Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-06-04
COTSWOLD SHEEP


We have, and so perhaps have some of our read
ers, seen some of this breed of sheep. small
flock Of them was purchased and brought into this
town year or two since by J. p. FAIRBANKS, ESD
aud they have prospered finely. They possess adj
vantages over other kind of sheep. They are much
larger their fleece is double that of the nerino and
their mutton is called superior to any other. Their
wool is Just such as is needed and will be called
for in this county, since the manufacture Of mus
lin de Lame and similar wooden fabrics has been ex-
tensively commenced in our yankee land
In the American Shepherd" we find the follow
ing account OF this breed by Mr.. Spooncr :-Cale-
DOMAIN.
"Ths is an ancient and celebrated breed, its
wool being spoken Of very favorably by MANY old
writers. Cotswold signifies sheep-fold and a ma
kcd hill. The Cotswold hills the native tract of
the breed, are OF moderate elevation, possess Il
sweet heritage, and though formerly consisting
mostly of bleak wastes, have been lattery much
improved. Camden speaks Of the bread as having
line and soft wool. Dayton writes of its heeces as
more abundant than those of Sarum and I.eonins-
ter Speed, writing 200 years ago, speaks of the
wool as similar to the Ryelund, and rvalllnr that
OF Spain. Indeed some imagine it was the origin
of the Merino sheep us in li64 Edward ". per-
mltted a number to be exported to Spain, where
they greatly increased and spread. Spain, howev-
err before this, was celebrated for the fneness Of
It's wool. Markham, in the time of Queen Eliza.
BETH speaks of the Cotswold as having long wool,
and Mr.. Marshall and other writers consider that
they have always been a long wooded bread. 1t is
difficult to reconcile these differences Of opinion :
for my own part am disposed to think that the
present are the descendants of the oil race; be
this as It may, we have no evidence, either oral
written, or TRADITIONAL Of the change having been
made.
The Cotswod is large breed of sheep, with
long and abundant fleece, and the ewes are very
prolific and good nurses. Formerly these bred
only on the hills and ialted in the valleys of the
Severn and the Thames but with the enclosure Of
the Cotswold hills and the Improvement of their
cultivation, they have been reared and lattened in
the same district They have been extensively
crossed with the Leicester sheep, by which their
size and fleece have been somewhat diminished but
their carcasses considerably improved, and their
maturity rendered earlier. The weathers are now
sometimes iallened at fourteen months. when they
weigh from 10 lbs. to "a lbs per quarter and at
two years old Increase to 20 or 30 lbs. The wool
Is strong, mellow, and of good COLOR though rather
coarse, six to eight inches in length, and from to
eight lbs. the fleece. The superior hardlhood of
the improved Cotswo.d over the Leicester aud their
adaptation TO common treatment, together with the
prolific nature of the ewes and Their abundance of
milk, have rendered them in many places, rivals of
the new Leicester and have obtained of late years
for item more attention to their selection and gen
eraI treatment. under which management still furth-
er improvement appears very probable. They have
also been used in ss.ng other breeds, and have
been mixed with the Hampshire Downs. 1t Is, in
deed, the improved Coswold that under the term
New or Improved Oyfordshre Sheep, are so fire..
quenty the successful candidates for prizes offered
for the best long wooded sheep at some OF the
principal agricultural meetings or shows in the
kingdom The quality Of the mutton is considered
superior to that OF the Leicester, the lnllow being
less abundant, with larger development of mus
Gle or flesh. We may, therefore, regard this breed
as one OF established reputation, and eX ending it,
self throughout every district Of the Kingdom"
REsPEcTABTLIrY. Cato, does you know dem
Johnsngs, up dm in Congo Place, Is gotto be ber-
ry 'specable folks ~
"Well, Scipio, fought dey was geltin' along
berry well but doesn't know how Spectacle dey
l.,