The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-05-29


The Best Five Breeds of sheep
First, The Merino is breed
originally Spanish, but now gener-
ally existing over England and the
United States, and very extensively
in Australia. Merino wool consti-
tutes a great part of the wealth
which flows into the new continent
from its exports. The Merino has
large limbs, and the male has large
spiral horns which do not rise above
the head. The skin of the neck is
loose and pendulous, the cheeks and
forehead bearing wool. The fleece
is fine, long, soft, and twisted in
silken spiral ringlets Astounding in
oil, which attracting dust, gives it
dingy appearance until secured,
after which it is silky and white.
This variety is valuable mainly for
| the excellence of its wool.
Second, The Leicester sheep is
| regarded in Europe as one of the
most valuable of the long woods.
This breed, in the present improved
condition, is the result of the skill
and care of Mr.. Blackwell, of Eng
land, who, soon after the middle of
last century, began to make expert
ments for the improvement of the
old Leicester sheep. 1t was then
large, coarse boned sheep, not easily
fattened, with coarse wool weigh
ing about ten pounds to the fleece.
| The new Leicester, or present
breed, has wool moderately long
and of better quality, weighing
seven or eight pounds, and is easily
made very fat. The color is white,
| and both sexes are hornless, with
bald face tinged with blue, and low
carriage. Other breeds of long
woods in England have been greatly
improved by crossing with this
breed-the Lincolnshire, Marsh,
Romney, etc. In this country the
Leicesters are large and coarse, but
easily fattened, and with good NUT
ton, the wool moderately long, but
stiff, and without gloss. Altogeth-
er, this variety is not generally in
great esteem.
large bony, animal, takes long to
mature, has long. fat, bony head
quite bare of wool, with a good
fleece, rather thin, slightly kinky,
with some gloss. But altogether
the Lincolnshires have greatly inn
proved of late years, their legs being
shorter and the wool more glossy;
yet the fleece not being equal in
quality to some other breeds they
have not met with general favor,
and are rarely adopted by our wool
growers as a breed.
Fourth, The Southdown is one of
the most popular breeds both in
England and the United States, and
have, by crossing, produced what
are called Hampshiredowns, Shrop-
shiredowns, Oxforddowns, and per
haps others, all larger and coarser,'
but retaining the Southdown marks
and characteristics, all producing
valuable wool and making good
mutton. But the Southdown must
be regarded as the head of all these
both for wool and table use, the
crossing of this breed having added
nothing to the originals in either
quality. The Southdowns are ex-
ceedingly neat in form both in head
and body, with gray face and legs
well covered with wool, the fleece
short, thick and soft, the outer sur
face often appearing as smooth as
the nicely-clipped. The body is
straight, with well-sprung ribs, and
broad level, back, and deep tanks,
all well covered with wool. This
breed stands at the head of all
breeds of sheep for superior table
qualities, but does not rank SO high
for quantity and quality of wool.
The Southdowns derive their origin
and name from the Chalkdowns of
the South of England, but are not
adapted to cold climate.
Fifth, The most important and
valuable of all breeds of sheep is:the
Cotswold of Gloucester, the wool
of which has been held in great
esteem since the fourteenth century,
and has generally commanded
higher price than any other. In
1924 Edward III, of England sent
a present of Cotswold rams to Hem
ry of CASTLE: and in 1868 he sent
similar present to John Aragon. So
the Cotswolds reach back to a right
honorable age and right royal pa
irons. But in modern times the
Cotswolds have been greatly i'm
proved by crossing with the Leices-
ter, producing a shorter wool and
better mutton than in former times.
The Cotswold of to-day has a
long, straight body, well-rounded