THE SOUTH-DOWN SHEEP.

fleece of 10 lbs. average weight, and averaging 22 lbs. per quarter of good mutton, at thirty months old.

2. The Bampton Nott, with white face and legs, though in other respects nearly resembling the former in appearance; but the wethers will, at twenty months old, average as much weight of carcass as the others at thirty; and if kept on for another year, will reach, when fat, as much as 28 lbs. per quarter: they are not, however, equally productive of wool; for at the first period they only yield about 6 lbs., and at the latter 9 lbs. Another variety of long-woolled sheep is found on the Cotswold Hills to which most of the remarks already made on the Devon breeds will equally apply.

The chief of the short-woolled polled breeds, are

THE SOUTH-DOWN SHEEP.

XI. The SOUTH-DOWN, of which the specific characters are,-Faces and legs gray; bones fine; head clean; neck long and small; low before; shoulder wide; light in the fore quarter; sides and chest deep; loin broad; back bone rather too high; thigh full, and twist good; wool very fine and short, (the staple being from two to three inches in length,) weighing an average of two pounds and a half per fleece, when killed at two years old. Flesh fine grained, and of excellent flavor; quick feeders; constitution hardy and vigorous. They are round in the general appearance of the barrel; and, from standing wide on their hind legs, and being shut well in the twist, the leg of down mutton is remarkably round and short, not only cutting handsomely for the table, but weighing heavier than common in proportion to the fore quarter; which are material advantages to the butcher, as they command a ready sale, at an advance of a penny per pound over the other joints. Fat wethers usually average about eighteen pounds per quarter.

These sheep have been bred for ages past on the chalky soils of the South Downs, in Sussex; and on such short pasture, and in such exposed situations, they are perhaps the most valuable breed in the kingdom: but they are spreading fast, not only into similar districts, but into counties better calculated for long woolled and larger sheep. The figure above delineated, is from a South-down ewe bred by Mr. Ellman, of Glynde. XII. The CANNOCK HEATH sheep are bred upon an extensive waste,

SOUTH-DOWN SHEEP.

so named, in Staffordshire; they are very generally grey faced; without horns; bear fine wool; and from many points of similitude between them and the South-down breed, it has been thought that they were originally derived from the same stock. The bone, however, is coarser; nor do they possess the same beauty and compactness as the downs; but these defects probably arise from inattention on the part of the former breeders, which the present flock-masters are making efforts to rectify; and to counterbalance them, the carcass is heavier, and the mutton equally good. XIII. The RYELAND BREED, is so called from a district in the neighborhood of Ross, in Herefordshire. They are small, white faced, and hornless; the wool growing close to their eyes; are light in the bone; have small, clean legs; and, when proper attention has been paid to the breeding stock, possess great compactness and symmetry. The ewes weigh from nine to twelve and fourteen pounds, and the wethers from twelve to sixteen pounds per quarter, when fatted, at three to four years old, and their flesh is equal to any mutton in the kingdom. The fleece does not average more than two pounds; but the quality of the wool is unrivalled by that of any of our native stock.

A cross has been made between this breed and the Spanish sheep, the produce of which are termed Merino Ryelands, and the wool Anglo merino.

In some of the neighboring counties to Herefordshire, both in England and Wales, there is a breed of sheep very much resembling the Ryelands, known as the

Shropshire morf. They bear wool of a fine quality: generally have white faces and legs, though sometimes a little freckled; are tight in the bone, and have small clean limbs. There are two species, which, from inattention to the breeds, are often blended. The one polled, the other having small, light, crooked horns,—a still smaller variety, bred on the mountains, and in high estimation for the table, but which is generally known under the common denomination of Welsh.

XIV. The CHEVIOT SHEEP were originally bred upon the hilly districts in the north-west part of Northumberland, but have since spread over many of the mountainous tracts in the neighboring counties, and have even nearly superseded the horned breed of black-faced sheep in some parts of the Highlands of Scotland. They are hornless, and their faces and legs are in general white, though formerly the prevailing color was black. The best breeds have an open countenance, with lively prominent eyes; long bodies, but wanting depth in the breast, and on the chine; and fine, clean, small-boned limbs. They are seldom slaughtered until they have attained the age of four to four and a half years, when the fat wethers will average from 12 lbs. to 18 lbs. per quarter, fattening kindly, and producing mutton of excellent quality. The wool is inferior to that of most other of the short-woolled polled breeds, and appears to have been injured by some late attempts to improve the carcass.

The Sheep known as the Herdwick breed, though smaller than the Cheviot, and only found in one rocky and mountainous district at the head of the Duddon and Esk rivers, in Cumberland, (Eng.) appear to be only a variety of the same race.

Another variety, termed the Dun-faced breed, is found in the exposed northern districts of England. The faces of the sheep are of a dun, or tawny color; the animals are smaller in size; have short tails; and are not so hardy as the preceding sort. The wool is variously streaked with

black, red, brown or dun, and partly of a fine texture, weighing about a pound and a half per fleece, when killed at four years and a half. Flesh finely grained, and of excellent flavor.

The Shetland breed, a nearly similar race, derives its name from the islands on the north coast of Scotland, where these sheep are reared. The wool is very fine and soft, fit for the finest manufactures; the fleece weighs upon an average from one to three pounds. The Shetland sheep are very hardy, but too wild to be confined.

MERINO, OR SPANISH SHEEP.

XV. The MERINO, or SPANISH SHEEP, a wether of which breed is here delineated-have horns of a middle size, of which the ewes are sometimes destitute; faces white; legs of the same hue and rather long; shape not very perfect, having a piece of loose skin depending from the neck; bone fine; pelt fine and clear.

The wool of the Merino sheep is uncommonly fine, and weighs, upon an average, about three pounds and a half per fleece. The best Merino fleeces have a dark brown tinge on their surface, almost amounting to black, which is formed by dust adhering to the greasy, yolky properties of its pile; and there is a surprising contrast between it and the rich white color within, as well as the rosy hue of the skin, which peculiarly denotes high proof. The Merinos are natives of the northern provinces of Spain, and were first introduced into Great Britain in the year 1787; but it was not until 1792 that any effectual measures were adopted towards improving the English breeds by a Spanish cross. In the lastmentioned year the late king of England received several rams of the Negretti breed; but so great was the force of prejudice, that notwithstanding the manufacturers confessed the wool of the Anglo Spanish cross to be of prime quality, yet not one individual bid for it a price at all equal to what they paid for good Spanish wool. From these sheep imported by the king, and from the great exertions of the late Lord Somerville, (who at an immense expense imported a flock of choice Merinos,) great benefit has been derived to the wool, by crossing this sort with the

MERINO, OR SPANISH SHEEP.

best British breeds; although the produce of the cross has not been improved in shape. The most successful cross has been with the Herefordshire, the fleece of which is heavier, in proportion to the carcass, than that of any other known breed in Europe; the average weight of the fleeces of two shear-ewes being estimated at four pounds and a half avoirdupois, in an unwashed state; and the fleece of a fat wether of the same age will be from five to seven pounds.

In Spain, the sheep from which these flocks have been obtained, are bred in the northern provinces of the kingdom of Leon, and of Segovia and Soria, in Old Castile, and the district of Buitrago, in New Castile ; from whence after being shorn they are driven southward at the approach of winter, and dispersed over the plains of Estremadura, La Mancha and Andalusia, until the return of summer, when they travel back to their native pastures; and whether from instinct or habit, they are said to display symptoms of restlessness as the time approaches for their change of pasture. They are in consequence termed Trashumante flocks; and there is a code of regulations, sanctioned by the authority of law, for the government of the shepherds during these periodical migrations. The ancient pasturages in the south are secured to them at a fixed rate. A strip of land, of considerable width, is left in pasture at each side of the road for their accommodation, without which they could not travel with convenience; and the greatest attention is paid to secure these privileges. By thus removing them at the different seasons from north to south, and back again, they are kept in a nearly equal temperature, and it probably is to that advantage that the superiority of the wool of the Trashumante flocks is to be attributed; that from those which remain stationary, being far inferior; as a proof of which the Caceres, or Estremaduran wool, grown in one of the central provinces, commands little more than half the price of the Leonesa. It must, however, be admitted, that, in Spain, it is a disputed point whether the travelling flocks are really benefited by the equality of climate thus obtained; some stationary flocks in the province of Segovia being said to produce as fine wool as any of the Trashumante.

If the supposition that the change of pasture be correct, it must follow that these sheep, when exposed to the variable climate of this country, will necessarily change the quality of their fleece; upon which climate is known to have the greatest influence. It may, indeed, be said, that the change might even then be advantageous; for a certain degree of cold is rather favorable than otherwise to the growth of fine wool; and its improvement in Saxony, into which country the Spanish breeds were introduced about half a century ago, might be adduced as an instance in point. But in Germany, these sheep are regularly housed during the winter; they are also kept, during that season, on dry fodder, which may be supposed to have a material effect on the fleece, for the Spanish sheep are kept on bare, and generally burnt-up pasture, without even tasting artificial food; and our own finest woolled flocks are maintained on the scanty herbage of the downs.

In France, where the royal flock of Rambouillet, picked from the best in Spain, was introduced in 1785,-the sheep suffered greatly by the cold until housed; and although the Merino breed has been since naturalized in that country,* and still retains the fineness of the texture of the wool, yet it loses in softness and in strength of staple.

* By a treaty made between France and Spain, during the French Revolution, 5000 ewes and 500 rams, of the best Spanish breeds, were placed at the disposal of the French Government.

MERINO, OR SPANISH sheep.

The Trashumante flocks have existed from a very early period in Spain. There is an ancient tradition that the original stock was obtained from this country; but it has not been traced to any authentic source. In the sixtenth century, they were calculated at seven millions; but their numbers have since much diminished, and they are now supposed not to exceed five. The chief flocks are those of Paular, which belong to a richly endowed monastery of that name in Segovia-of Negretti, the property of the Marquess of Campo d'Alauge-of the Escurial, formerly belonging to the crown; and those owned by the Duke de l' Infantado, the Marquess d' Iranda, and Perales, and Count San Rafael; each of which consists of from 40,000 to 60,000, and the average weight of the fleece is estimated at 5lbs.

In respect to the sheep at the present day, found in the United States, it cannot be necessary to enlarge, since few probably are unacquainted with the breeds of their native country.

It may be proper to observe, however, that before the introduction of the merino breed, there were, besides the common and coarse woolled sheep of the country, three kinds of sheep, which, for a time, attracted some attention, viz. the Otter, the Arlington, and the Smith's island sheep.

The Otter sheep, it is said, were first discovered on some island on our eastern coast. This sheep is distinguished for the extreme shortness of its legs, which are also turned out, in such a manner as to render them ricketty. They appear, observes a writer, as if their legs had been broken, and set by an awkward surgeon. They have not been extensively propagated among us.

The Arlington long-woolled sheep were derived from the stock kept by Washington at Mount Vernon. They appear to have been derived from a Persian ram, intermixed with the Bakewell or New Leicestershire breed.

The origin of the Smith's island sheep (an island which lies in the Atlantic ocean, immediately at the eastern cape of Virginia) cannot be precisely ascertained; but they are supposed to be the indiginal race of the country, discovered somewhat less than half a century since, and improved by the hand of nature. The wool of this sheep is said to be soft, white, and silky; but not so fine as the merino wool.

The introduction of the merino sheep forms an era in the history of agriculture, and we may add of manufactures in our country. The first merino sheep, ever imported into the United States, were two pairs sent into the country in the spring of 1802, from France, by Robert R. Livingston.

Shortly after, a much greater number were introduced by the late Col. Humphreys, directly from Spain.

Since that period, importations of Merinos, Saxony, South Down, &c. &c. have been frequent.

It cannot be doubted from the experiments already made that the United States of America, particularly the country which lies north of the Chesapeake, is well adapted to the breeding of sheep, not only from the fine herbage which every where crowns our hills, and furnishes that sort of pasture, which is especially adapted to sheep; but also from the singular exemption of our sheep from most of the diseases, which so frequently diminish the flocks of Europe.

So much has been written on the subject of the breeding, rearing and