We now proceed to take a rapid survey of the different breeds of sheep, commencing with the Solandowns ; for by them or their con geners the first woollen manufactory at Winchester was supported. As latterly improved by the Ellmans, Lugars, Itigdens, and Webbs, it has exerted an extraordinary influence for good on all shorbwoolled breeds of sheep in the country. The flock of Jonas Webb in particular has furnished rams to all the beat breeders of short-woolled sheep; and the high estimation in which his breed is held was proved at its recent sale, when 060 sheep of all ages sold for nearly 11.000f.
The Southdown sheep have succeeded admirably in all the southern districts of the kingdom ; but the northern hills have occasionally been too cold for them. Crosses between the Southdown and almost every breed of middle-cool sheep have answered well ; while in counties where it could have been least expected, the old breed is in a great measure superseded by the Southdowns.
We pats from Sussex, Hampshire, Wiltshire, where a black-faced short-woolled sheep, much improved by the Southdowns, prevails, into Dursetehire, and we find a very different and valuable breed of alicep. 'f hey are white; the face long and broad, with a tuft of wool on the forehead ; the shoulders low but broad ; the chest deep ; the loins broad ; and the bone small; a hardy and useful sheep. Their chief peculiarity is the forwardness of the ewes, which supply the market with lamb when it produces the highest price.
A very profitable variety is found in a cross between the South down and the Dorset /sheep. The CarC880 is increased, and the wool is rendered more valuable.
Returning through Soinersetshire, we again meet with the South downs, either pure or materially improving the native breeds. In Gloucestershire, the shortswoulled sheep have given way to the Cotswolds.
In Herefordshire we still meet with a few flocks of that breed of sheep, which was in former timea the pride of the agriculturist—the Ilyelands. They are small, polled, with white faces, the wool growing close to and almost covering the eyes. the carcase round and compact, the anhnal quickly fattening, and the superabundant fat accumulating within. They are hardy, and peculiarly free from disease, and par ticularly dialoged/shed by the fineness of their wool.
Shropshire contains now a valuable characteristic breed of abort smelled, large-framed sheep, which have of late years achieved a high reputation.
The Cheviots extend from Westmoreland far into Scotland They differ essentially from both the black- and the dun-faced breeds by which they are surrounded. The following is a description of the pure breed, thirty years ego. before they began to be enessed by the Leicestera:—" The head polled, bare and clean, with jaw-bone of a good length ; ears not too short, and countenance of nut too dark a colour ; neck full, round, and net too long, well covered with wool, but without any coarse wool depending beneath ; shoulders deep, full, and wide ; chest full and open ; chine long, but not too much so ; straight, broad, and wide across the fillets; horns round and full ; the body in general round and full, and not too deep or flat either in the ribs or flanks ; the fleece fine, close, short, and thick-set, of a medium length of pile, without hairs at the bottom, and not curled on the shoulders, and with very little coarse wool on the hips, tail, or belly."
There are many flocks of pure Cheviots, but in the majority of the flocks there is a cross of Leicester blood.
The other breed of short-woolhel sheep which contend with the Cheviots in number and value, is the lfrl"rk-faced Scuts. They extend from Lancashire to the very north of Scotland. The males arc mo tly horned, the horns of a spiral form, but the females are frequently a ithout horns. The faces and legs are always black or mottled : they arc covered with wool about the forehead and lower jaw : the fleece is long and somewhat coarse. The carcase is peculiarly compact; so much so, that on account of the shortness, roundness, firmness, and handsomeness of the carcase, it is called the short sheep, in opposition to the Cheviots or long sheep. Great numbers of these sheep are sent to the London market. The weight of the carcase does not differ materially from that of the Cheviot, and the fleece weighs about three pounds after it is washed. These sheep have been improved by selec tion, but have derived little advantage from any of the crosses that have been tried.
We now arrive at the Long-woo/led Sheep. The following description of the New Leicester by 31r. Culley will, to a very considerable degree, serve for all the varieties of the long-woolled sheep. The head should be hornless, long, small, tapering towards the muzzle, and projecting horizontally forwards. The eyes prominent, but with a quiet expres sion. The ears thin, rather long, and directed backwards ; the neck full and broad at its base, but gradually tapering towards the head, and particularly line at the junction of the head and neck. The neck seeming to project straight from the chest, so that there is, with the slightest possible deviation, one continued horizontal line from the rump to the poll. The breast broad and full ; the shoulders also broad and round, aud no uneven or angular formation where the shoulders join either the neck or the back, particularly no rising of the a ithers, or hollow behind the situation of those bones. "The arm fleshy through its whole extent, and even down to the knee. '1 he hones of the legs small. at:lading w ide apart, no looseness of the skin about them, and comparatively bare of wool. Tho chest and barrel are at once deep and round in the ribs. forming a considerable arch from the spine. so as in some cases, and especially when the animal is in good condition, to make the apparent width of the chest even greater than the depth. The barrel ribbed well home. No irre gularities of line on the back or the belly; but on the sides the carcase very gradually diminishing in width towards the rump. The quarters long and full, and as aide as the fore-legs. The muscles extending down to the back, the thighs also wide and full. The legs of a moderate length ; the pelt also moderately thin, but soft and elastic, and covered with a good quantity of white wool, not so long as in some breeds, but considerably finer.