riorating or destroying-it, as a distinct breed, by mixing its blood with that of an alien variety.-This is intended, not as a pointed but as a general remark.

If a breed, whether of cattle or sheep, that has been long enured to the soil and climature of a district, is so innately bad, as not to be improvable without admixture (a circumstance, I believe, which has rarely occurred);and another variety of superior value that has long inhabited the same or a very similar species of soil and situation, can be procured, at a moderate cost,-banish the former, altogether, and replace it with the latter:-as the occupiers of the Western Chalk Hills of the Southern Counties are now changing the Wiltshire-down, for the Sussex-down, breed of sheep.

Rearing Cattle, in Sussex.-P. 261. The calves" universally suck the cow from ten to thirteen weeks, are cut at seven weeks, and are weaned by being shut up; and having a little grass given them, till they have forgotten the dam, are then turned out to pasture. The first winter they are well fed with the best hay; after that with straw, except after Christmas, while working, when they have hay, but straw alone till they begin to work."

Dairy of Sussex.-P. 253. "The material object in the cattle system of Sussex, is the breeding and rearing of stock for working and fattening. The concern of the dairy is but a secondary object in this system.

"Upon many farms, nearly as many fat oxen are annually sold as there are cows kept. 3. or 4. in the product of the dairy, hau much better be lost, than an indifferent ox bred.

"In quantity of milk, they are not to be compared with some other breeds, as the Holderness, Suffolk, &c."

P. 254. “A good cow will give 5lb. of butter in a week in the height of the season; and six will make from 30 to 40lb. of cheese in a month, of skim-milk."

Making up Butter.-The following novel idea, concerning this important operation in a butter dairy, I transcribe from a note, by Mr. Trayton.

N. p. 258. "I am inclined to think this useful aliment of butter suffers greatly in its quality and durability, in the ordinary process of making up. The error I would point out is, the admission of water (warm or cold), both into the churn, and in the heating and making up. Water is well known to be a great dissolvent; at least if it be not essentially so, it serves in vesiculi as a conductor to air, which is universally such. Fresh butter then, in consequence of imbibing water, and water being saturated with air, is always in a progressive state of decay. Not so when water

is excluded: its obginous parts are admirably calculated to secure it from putrefaction; and I am almost positive, that butter might be made with as little trouble as the present method, to keep the whole year fresh and sweet, without the least particle of salt, solely by the exclusion of water. I was witness some years ago to a piece of butter being taken out of the churn in very warm weather: there might have been water put in previous to the churning, and I believe there was, but it had none afterwards: a part of this butter was used for making ointment, the remainder was set by and forgot; a fortnight afterwards, it was discovered to be as fresh and sweet as ever, though it had never been salted. I have heard it spoken of a notable old housewife famous for good butter, that she always kept the floor of her dairy dry. The custom is exactly the reverse at present in those parts, many pailfuls being thrown down in the hot weather, which will assuredly rise again in steam, and affect the milk with its humidity."

For the mode of fatting cattle, see Grazing aforegoing. And for remarks on Working Cattle, see p. 476, aforegoing. On a Disease of Cattle.-P. 285. "South Down receipt for hoved bullocks is, a quart of lintseed-oil, which vomits them directly, and never known to fail."

Markets for Cattle.-P. 246. "Smithfield is the greatest market for the sale of Sussex cattle, which is well supplied with fat oxen from this county, where they are deservedly held in the highest estimation. They go at all times of the year; but the grazier endeavours to bring his beasts to the pitch, so as to be enabled to meet the demand when it is probable there will be the greatest call for prime beef, which is from Christmas till May. After this the market declines."

SHEEP. This section may not inaptly be termed the great work of the volume under review. It fills five sheets of letterpress: one sixth of the book.

The beginning and the ending, thereof, are alike the theme of comparison, between the favorite "South Downs" and the other fashionable breeds of the day. Mr. ELLMAN of Glynde sustains the principal character; "his cousin Mr. Ellman of Shoreham," acting a subordinate part. This is not said in light derision of Mr. JOHN ELLMAN of GLYNDE; who is entitled to much praise; as having been principally instrumental, in promulgating, and, for some purposes, improving, a valuable breed of sheep.

No public character, perhaps, ever set out with less promising auspice,-saving the intrinsic merit of his subject, than did "John Ellman." By perseverance, however, he acquired oratory sufficient to engage the attention

of

of fashionable breeders of sheep; as a still greater man had done before him.

Turning back a sheet of desultory discourse, concerning the comparative merits, and specific claims, of the favorite variety, we arrive at some more direct information, respecting the superior qualities which belong to the

Breed of South Down Sheep.-About the "form, color, and hardiness," of this breed, much is said. I perceive nothing, however, that calls for particular notice, here; excepting what relates to "the length of the neck." Indeed, we search, in vain, for plain, intelligent, general description of the breed under report.

Mr.

P. 293. "The true South Down sheep are polled, and when very well bred, have a small head, and clear neck, which are very essential points; the length, indeed, of the neck, is a matter in dispute among the breeders. Ellman, who certainly has brought his flock to a high degree of perfection, thinks the length of the neck not demerit; and other breeders, who look for fine wool more than form of carcass, think it a merit, as the surface produces more wool, and that of a fine quality. Others, on the contrary, prefer a short neck, because it is thought that lambs that are spear-necked, are free of wool, and not so well able to bear severe weather; and long necks are inclined to long carcasses.'

The true South Down I-Surely not: the true, the legitimate South Down sheep would be better described by-"the head and neck thick and short."*

For an instance of the want of hardiness, in the smart, modernized breed, see EASTERN DEPARTMENT-Kent's Norfolk. And for general remarks concerning them, see the same volume; article, Secretary's Norfolk.

For the purpose of growing wool, the best of the modern variety have received some considerable improvement †. As mere pasture sheep, for well soiled, well sheltered uplands, they are equal, I believe, to some of the other puffed and pampered breeds of the kingdom. But for the profitable purpose of braving bleak barren hills, by day, and manuring arable lands, by night,-their fitness is "now no more." It were as fitting to put an arabian courser into the shafts of a dung cart, as a delicate, highblooded, fashionable" South Downer" into a sheepfold.

On the spareness of diet, which is held out as belonging to this breed of sheep, we have the following remarks:

P. 302. *For a description of the genuine South Down breed, see my SOUTHERN COUNTIES.

† Attend, however, to the next extract.

P. 302. "It is a part of the subject which depends entirely on the quantity of food eaten, and it is very necessary and requisite to know the usual allowance of food, artificial as well as Down, in several distinct flocks, from which it will appear, that the food eaten is comparatively small in this part of the kingdom; and it must impress other Counties with a very high idea of South Down sheep.

"A tenantry flock* belonging to Denton parish, consisting of six hundred breeding ewes, has no other provision but the native Down (seven or eight loads of hay excepted) for the whole year: no green food. This flock lives upon the hill the greatest part of the year, very nearly indeed the whole of it: at lambing time it is taken away; and it is observed, that no where is finer wool found; and is an instance in favour of the quality of the wool depending upon the sort of food, and as strong a one to shew, how small a quantity of food serves to winter this flock."

P. 304. "The native Down is stocked in proportion to the quality. Glynde and Ringmer Down, measuring 1100 acres, now maintains 5000 sheep and lambs for six months in the summer, and 2500 in the winter, exclusive of artificial provision.

"Upon the whole of those accounts, a superiority is immediately discovered over other breeds, in the small proportion of food allotted for the maintenance of such numerous flocks. It is to the excellency of the breed, in union with the happy state of the Downs, to which this circumstance is to be attributed; and partly to the beneficial arrangement of arable and pasture. In all seasons, recourse is had to the Downs for food; and it is admirably well calculated for the purpose. If the proportion of stock to ground is extended over all the South Downs and the contiguous land, so as to comprehend a tract of 150,000 acres, the stock of sheep upon this surface, from authentic accounts, is estimated at 270,000 in summer, and 220,000 in winter; a rate of stocking which is not to be exceeded in any other part of England, marsh land alone excepted." Near the close of the Reporter's long, long, article, we find a loosely given account of some experiments instituted by the EARL of EGREMONT, in 1795, with different breeds of sheep; to the intent of ascertaining "the proportion of food to mutton, offal, and tallow, live and dead weight, &c. &c." p. 361.

Nothing

A parish or township flock; of course unimproved; the "true old sort;" and listen to their merits!

Nothing, however, is made out, in the report of those experiments, to prove or even to strengthen the foregoing suggestions, concerning the comparatively short allowance of food, the South Down breed require. Nevertheless, the PRINCIPLES, on which those EXPERIMENTS were conducted, are very ingenious; and, under scientific superintendence and intelligent Report, a course of similar experiments might bring out results of great importance, in the propa gation of domestic animals.

We may, I think, be allowed to conclude, from what appears in this Report, that the large "proportion of stock to ground," which is so confidently spoken of, in different parts of it, is more owing to the superior excellence of the "native downs," than to the breed of sheep that are depastured upon them.

On the comparative sale value of the favorite breed, are the subjoined remarks.

P. 305. "This is another point which ought to impress upon the world an high idea of the merit of this breed of sheep: the advance in the prices of the flock proves it in the most satisfactory manner, and marks the improve

it has received.

"The superiority of one flock over another, may be gathered from the difference of value in the sale of the produce: thus estimated, the success of some few breeders have been felt and acknowledged: the difference in the price is the quantum of improvement: and the constant unbroken rise of late years in the prices of sheep and lambs, denote certainly the merit, and probably the demand for the breed. And no where shall we see such aecounts of the profits of flocks, that will bear to be compared with the prices on the Downs. Such an incessant demand has existed for the breed, that the advance in the value has excited much emulation: price has done the whole."

The panegyrist, when he wrote those remarks, does not appear to have been aware that fashion had much ado, in exciting the "incessant demand," proudly mentioned:which did not arise so much from the specific, inherent, intrinsic value of the animals, as from a temporary demand for them which temporary demand, when the rage for them shall have cooled, when the several districts, for which they are peculiarly adapted, shall be fully stocked, and the surplus number which the wind of fashion may have blown into districts for which they are unfit, shall have returned into the market, it may, perchance, be overstocked; and a discount, instead of a premium, on their intrinsic value, may take place.

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