The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1873-02-19
Agricultural.
The Old English Breeds of Sheep.

The Norfolk sheep were lndigcnOu
in the countries of Norfolk and Suffolk
The horns were large and spiral til,
bodies long; the loins narrow with
high back and thin chine the legs long
black or gray. They were of a wild
rowing disposition, and not easily con
fined within any but strong Enclosures
The wool of the original breed wa
short, and the fleece weighed from two
to two and a half pounds.
The agile form of these sheep, cna
bling them to move Over O large spac,
of ground with little labor, was q vas
advantage to the old Norfolk farmers
many of whom were possessed of large
tracts of heathland, which they had Nc
means of bringing into cultivation ex
cept by the assistance of the fold. Mr.
Marshall characterizes them, in his &C
count of the Norfolk husbandry, as be.
ing singuIarly well adapted to the sol
and system of management prevalent il
that country, thriving upon heath and
barren sheep-walks, where nine-tenths
of the breeds in the kingdom would
s~tarve, standing the fold perfectly well,
yet fattening freely at two years old,
and bearing the journey to distant mar
kets with comparative ease. Mr.. Kent,
in his survey of the same country, has
been equally warm in their praise; yet,
Notwithstanding testimonials in their
favor, they have long been giving way
to the SouthdOwn or Sussex-down, or
/ Norfolk and Oxford-down breeds, and
the old NorfOlks are n nearly extinct
race.
The Wiltshire breed were distin-
guished by large spiral horns bending
downwards, close to the head. They
were perfectly white in their faces and
legs and long Roman noses, with large
open nostrils; were wide and heavy in
the headquarters, and light in the fore
quarter and offal. The quality of the
fleece was that of clothing wool or mod
crate fneness, averaging nearly three
pounds in weight; and the ~carcasses of
the weathers, when fat, usually weighed
from 70 to 80 pounds.
This breed has now nearly disap-
peared. It was first improved by the
Southdowns, and it has been crossed so
frequently with that breed, that it be
come almost a SOuthdOwn, or differs
only from the true SOuthdOwn in its
increased size, lighter color, and finer
fleece.
The Dorset breed are horned. The
ram has a singular long convoluted
horn, and is entirely white. The chest
is deep, and the Ioins broad. The wool
of the pure breed is of an interme-
diate kind between long and short,
and of middling fneness, weighing
about four pounds per fleece; and
the carcass averages eighteen pounds
per quarter of excellent mutton. Great
numbers of Southdown sheep have been
introduced into this country, but in the
neighborhOod of Dorchester the original
breed retain their native character.
They are a hardy race, being chiefly
bred Oh open downs, and Injured to the
but their principal value consists
in the peculiar forwardness of the ewes,
who take the ram at an earlier period
than any other species, and are there
fore much sought for, and command
high prices, for the purpose of produc-
house-lamb for winter consumption.
They will often take the ram so early as
April.
There is a variety of the Dorset breed
Dean Forest, and on the Mendip
He is a small compact animal,
hat would thrive on the poorest soil.
In both situations, however, and particu-
-arly on the Mendip Hills, the sheep'are
materially changed since the progress
Enclosure. The auckland, the Lei
testers, and the Southdowns, now oscu-
1y the greater part of these once wild
These old breeds have now been
greatly improved, by the introduction
If rams from the different focks of well
bred sheep, for which Great Britain is
70 famous all over the civilized world.
Sheep breeding has always received
more attention in England than in the
States.