The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-05-23
Agricultural.
Cotswold Sheep.

..f COtsWold Sheep
We have, and so perhaps have some ofour
readers, seen some of this breed ofsheep. A
small flock of them was purchased and
brought into this town year or two since by
j. p. FAIRBANKS Esq. md they have pros
pered finely. They possess advantages over
other kind of sheep. They are much larger,
their fleece is double that of the merino, and
their mutton is called superior to any other,
Their wool Just such as is needed and will
he called for III this country, since the manu-
tacture ofmouslin de Laine and similar wool
Ell fabrics has been extensively commenced
in our yankee land.
In the "American Shephcrd"w we find the
following account of this breed by Mr. Spoon
cr:
"This is an ancient and celebrated breed,
its wool being spoken of very favorably by
many old writer's. COtswold signifies sheep
fold aud naked hill. The Cotswold hills,
the native tractof the breed, are of moderate
elevation, possesses a sweet heritage, and tho
formerly consisting mostly of bleak wastes,
have been latterly much improved. Camden
speaks ofthe breed as having fine and soft
wool. Drayton writes of its fleeces as more
abundant thant those of Sarun and Leomins-
ter Speed, writing 300 years ago, speaks
0fthe wool as similar TO the Ryeland, and ri
valling that of Spain. Indeed, some imagine
it was the origin ofthe MernO sheep, rs
in l464 Edward Nv. permitted a number TO
he exported TO Spain, where they greatly in
creased aud spread. Spain, however, before
this, was celebrated for the fineness of its
wool. Markham, ia the time of Queen f.
,zabeth, speaks ofthe Cotswold as having
ling wool, aud Mr. Marshall and other writer's
consider that they have always been long
wooded breed. II is difficult to reconcile
these differences ofopinion; for my own part
am disposed to think that the present are
the descendants ot'the old race be this as it
may, we have no evidence, either oral, writ
ten, or traditional, ofthe change having been
made. @
The Cotswold is large breed of sheep,
with long and abundant fleece, and the ewes
are very prolific and good nurses. Former
~ these bred only on the hills, and fatted in
the valleys ofthe' Severn aud the Thanes;but
with the enclosure ofthe Cotswod hills, and
the improvement of their cultivation, they
have been reared and fattencd in the same
district. They have been extensively crossed
with the Leicester sheepby which their size
aud fleece have been somewhat diminished,
h'rt their carcasses considerably improved,
aud their maturity rendered earlier. The
wethers are now sometimes tattened al four
teen months, when they weigh from Is lbs TO
~ lbs. per quarter, and at two years old in
crease to 20 or 30 lbs. The wool is strong,
mellow, and of good color, though rather
course, six to eight inches in length,and from
2 to eight lbs. the fleece. The superior hard
ihood of the improved Cotswold over the
J. eicester, and their adaptation to common
treatment, together with the prolific nature
ofthe ewes and their abundance of milk, have
rendered them in many places, rivals of the
new Leicester,and have obtained oflate years
for them more attention TO their selection
and general treatment, under which manage
ment still further improvement appears very
probable They hive also been used i'll
crossing other breeds, and have been mixed
with the Hampshire Downs. 1t is, indeed,
the improved Cotswold that, under the term
New or Improved OXfordshire Sheep, are so
frequently the successful candidates for priz-
es offered for of the best long-wooled
sheep at some of the principal agricultural
meetings or shows in the kingdom. The
quality of the mutton is considered superior
to that ofthe Leicester, the tallow being less
abundant with larger development of mus
Gle or flesh We may, therefore, regard this
breed ms one of established reputation, and
extending selfthroughout every district of
the kingdom"