The short-woolled sheep are not so easily arranged or estimated as the long-woolled kinds. There are six dif serent kinds of them the Norfolk, South Down, Wilt shire, Reyeland or Herefordshire, the heath sheep, and the Cheviot or mountain sheep.
The Norfolk sheep is found chiefly in that county, in Suffolk, and in parts of Cambridgeshire and Essex. In Norfolk, it is calculated that there are about 684,000 sheep, which at 32 sheep upon 59 acres of land, and at the average weight per fleece of 2 lbs. will give 5700 packs of wool. In Suffolk, where rich foams and clays abound more than in Norfolk, the sheep afford rather a heavier fleece, weighing probably nearly 21bs. The stock is about 490,000, and the quantity of wool amounts to nearly 5000 packs. The Norfolk breed was formerly confined to the eastern part of Cambridgeshire, while the southern and central parts were occupied by the Wiltshire breed ; hut at present the Norfolk sheep are gaining ground in that county. The average fleece is rather less than 4 lbs. and the number of sheep is esti mated at 47,000 ; these, with the sheep in the fens, which produce short wool, will make the entire quantity about 1120 packs. A very small proportion of Hunt ingdonshire is devoted to the grazing of short-woolled sheep, and on the ground where they are kept, there is not a heavier stock than three-fourths of a sheep per acre ; so that the whole number is not more than 108,000, producing about 2000 packs of wool. In Bed fordshire, the most careful and accurate observations make the stock of sheep to be at the rate of 92 sheep upon 97 acres ; the average fleece is about 5 lbs.; the number of sheep 204,000 ; and the produce of woel about 4000 packs.
In Essex there was formerly a breed of sheep (proba bly native) which produced a fleece of long and coarse wool, usually weighing about 4 lbs. At present, the Norfolk, South Downs, Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, and Welsh sheep, are kept in the centre of the county, while the Dishley breed are found along the coast. The Norfolk occupy the borders of Suffolk, and the Wiltshire the north-western part of the county. The Welsh, or at least_ sheep resembling the Welsh, are kept on Epping Forest. The number of sheep kept in Essex, (reckoning all the kinds which produce short wool,) may be at the rate of two upon three acres of land, and the average fleece at 3 lbs.; the whole num
ber of sheep at 519,000, and the quantity of wool at 6500 packs.
The next breed of sho•t-woolled sheep which claim our notice, are the South Down, which were first culti vated with success on that part of Sussex from which they derive their name. In this district it is usual to shear lambs: the quantity obtained from each being about 8 ounces; the sheep producing about 2 lbs. The whole stock, on their native soil, may be estimated at 316,800, and the wool which they produce at 2640 packs. If the rest of the county of Sussex is taken into the account, where the South Down sheep are kept, the whole number will probably reach 547,000, and the fleece 6800 packs. Most of the wool goes into York shire, and a small part into the west of England. In the county of Kent, the fleeces of short wool amount to about 70u0 packs, shorn from almost 524,500 sheep ; each full grown sheep being estimated to produce 311bs. of wool, and the lambs about 8 ounces. The manufac turers in the north of England take off most of the pro duce. The native breed of Hampshire are something between the sheep of Dorsetshire and those of Wiltshire, producing a fleece better than the former and worse than the latter; but the South Down have gained a conside rable footing in this county. The stock is estimated at two sheep upon three acres; the weight of the fleece is about 3 lbs. and the total produce of wool is about 6500 packs, from nearly 517,000 sheep. In the isle of Wight are the Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Dorsetshire breeds, intermingled with the South Downs. The whole island is supposed to support about 61,000 sheep, producing nearly 800 packs of wool.
Surrey is the last county in the south-eastern district of short wool : it maintains the Dorset, Wiltshire, South Down, and a few Hampshire and heath sheep. On the strong lands, the stock is nearly five sheep on six acres, which gives 273,000 sheep. If to these be added the stock of the heaths, which may amount to about 10,000 sheep, and take the average fleece at 3 lbs. the produce of the county will be somewhat more than 3500 packs of wool, which is manufactured principally in Yorkshire and Lancashire.