The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-09-05
Oxfordshire Down Sheep.

public favor in Great Britain, tr has
more rapidly extended in numbers, ihan
| the OXfurdshire Down. 1t is now ABOUT
fifty years since few enterprlslng TT
fish breeders undertook the construct-ST\
of new breed of sheep, that should IN
great measure, possess the weight OF the
Longwool with the quality of the Down.
1t is the opinion of the best authorities
in such matters that the Cotswold gray
faced ram and the Hampshire Down eve
were the chief, if not the only, materials
which. by judicious blending and care
full selection. have resulted in a class OF
sheep which under suitable conditions,
are probably as profitable as any that
can be mentioned, where size, weight OF
wool, aptitude to fatteE, hardy character
and valuable meat are desired.
The success of the early promoters OF
the project led many others into the
field. 1t was not until 1850 that they
were sty led the Oxfordshire Downs, the
county of Oxford in England being their
stronghold. Previous to that date, they
were properly regarded as cross breds,
and known as Down Cotswolds, under
which designation they achieved success
at the Smithtield shows. AS soon as the
breed became established, sonc OF the
most successful breeders began to exhibit
their sheep at the Royal Agricultural So J
clcty's show, and though ut first they had
no special class, aud were shown witt
short wooded sheep and cross breds, the
great merit soon secured them class
themselves. The Royal Society decide
on a separate class, and the OxiordshirN
Downs made their first appearance as a
recognized breed in the exhibition year
of 1862 at Battersea. AT the Smithiield
Club show, in 1872, the Duke of Marlbo-
rough took the champion prize with his
splendid wethers of this breed, as the best
pen of sheep in any Of the classes.
Among the character of good
type of the Oxfordshire Downs should be
a nice dark color, the poll we'll covered
with wool, adorned with top knot on +
the forehead; good fleece of wool, thick,
on the skin, not too curly; a well-formed (
Darrell on short, dark legs (not gray or
spotted); with good, firm mutton. The
weight of wool for whole flock will
average about seven pounds per sheep;
rams have been known to cut Is much as
twenty pounds when shcarng. Great
numbers of shearlings and ram lambs are
now sold in England by public as we'll as
private sale. Most satisfactory prices !
have been realized recently, rams having /
changed hands at from 5000 to 5000 each.
The cross with the Hampshire eve for /
early fat lambs for the London market is I
much in favor. In this breed the weight
of the fleece and of the CARCASS, generally
the characteristics of the Cotswold breed,
are, combined with the quality of the !
mutton and the. wool, the characteristics
of the Downs. Il
The Oxfordshire sheep are adapted )
more particularly for mixed soils, and (
stand close stocking and confinement;
that is, they can be kept entirely in
hurdles, and will probably do better so
than ii allowed a range. Different sorts
of food are commonly grown on the
mixed soils, as kohlrabi, swedes, turnips,
mangel wurzel, Winter oats. rye, and tre-
foil, vetches, cabbages and clover, so as
to keep the sheep as much as possible ON
the arabic land. The stock ewes are gen.
orally divided in August, and rams Sc
lected to suit each lot. They run over
the stubbles, and are penped on rape or
cabbage at night; in some instances few
beans are given. They then clean up the
pastures till Christmas, having been on
pea.straw at night. 1t is considered I'M
wise t. give them many turnips before
yeaning. They are then brought into the
iold-yard for lambing, and are fed on hay,
cotton-cake and a few roots
They are found to be very good moth
ers, being strong and prolific, producing
a considerable proportion of twins. Tho
lambs when taken into the turnip- field B
have fold in front of their mothers,
where they are supplied with hay, grain,
and, rs the case may be, cut swedes, or
crop off the grass. The ewes with twins
are also supplied with corn. The lambs
are usually weaned when about twenty
two weeks old. They are healthy
class of sheep, and cases of giddiness are
seldom known in any of the ilocks.
Great atteation is bestowed by the best :
tlockmasters during the young stage,
and an early acquaintance with suitable
artificial food, and frequent change of the
natural produce are esteemed as points of
great importance. A check on the young
system is often had to recover from, and
it is great argument for the folding sys-
TEN, especially in a country where land
Is dear and good mutton commands great
prices, that the sheep are so frequently
under the eye that any marked change
may be noticed at once.-Americdn Cut
hoat0r.
n Middletown, Conn., woman recently
placed dozen ducks eggs under hen,
hoping to raise some young ducks. After
stuVlnp ON the ppus until two iays more