OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 175, 26 July 1907, Page 2

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

THE SOUTHDOWN AT HOME.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, June 14. A glance down the long list of members of the Southdown Sheep Society at present on its register, most of then, owners of reputable breeding flocks, S show a large number of counties and a considerable area ot -ThifstTmiSthe Southdown as a cosmopolitan breed, and is evidence of its adaptability to different but if we want to see the commercial sheep to perfection it must be looked, for on the farms of the Sussex Downs where it lives under conditions much the same as existed in the time of the Romans. The Southdown is the mamstay of Sussex hill-farming, and the Southdown at home Perhaps not. quite the same sheep as the Southdown further inland- • / ■ The pliysical character of a countiy, the nature of the soil, drainage, temperature, rainfall, and vegetation have I marked influence on the various breeds of sheep, o* their constitution, on the quality of their flesh, and the srowth of their wool, and we are told Lv T Ellman, one of the first improvers of the Southdown breed, who farmed among the Sussex Downs at Glynde and Lewes, that-,", so great is the effect of soil and climate that the fine flavour of the Southdown mutton may be changed in time to the coarse, tallowy meat of the Leicester or other long woolled sheep," and that. « not only will cae fleslt be interfered,with "W th© wool and ever/other feature will become assimilated to, those of the different localities." It is significant of the value of these hill. sheep kept under natural conditions in the home of the breed, that such an atfthonty as Mr Brand has recently pointed out that when the Soutn^own taken inland loses its characteristics it necessitates going to the hills for rams. The early history of the Southdown is lost in antiquity. It did not come over with the Conqueror,' 5 it was-in possession'of its native hills long before; and there is good ground tor supposing that even prior to the Roman invasion the breed supplied the wool for which, at Winchester, cloth goods •of high class were produced. It is the type, and probably the progenitor, pi the shor.t wools—one of the two mam ' classes into which from time immemorial the breeds of this country have been divided. The bold and graceful masses ot the chalk formation from which it takes its name, raise from the Marsh or Pevensey into the promontory of Beechy Head, thence trend westward and traverse the length of Sussex into Hampshire, but properly the denomination of Southdowns is applicable only to that part of the range extending from Eastbourne to Shoreham. They have an average altitude of 600 feet, and comprise 99,000 acres. They are smooth, open hills, with rounded summits and hollow dones or coambes, in which nestle the farm houses and workmen's cottages ,and are clothed -with a short fine crisp herbage, which gives a suggestion of velvet to the tread. This short delicate turf, which is probably literally as " old as the hills," contains a considerable portion of wild thyme or mother-of : thynie— Thymus Serpyllum—to T which the Southdown mutton is said fto owe the exquisite flavour so appreciated by the epicure* There is scarcely a tree or shrub to be-seen for miles, save here and there a patch of furze, gorse, or whin, which affords cover for foxes and rabbits, or small groups of whitethorn in some of the more sheltered declivities^ The Downs fronting the south-east are very Weak, and hardiness is a quality required of stock subsisting on them.. The summits are invariably pasturage, but considerable portions, in the valleys and sides of the hills, are under "the plough, and produce 'both, cereals and sheep feed. Thus the husbandry Is of a mixed character, but on the majority of the farms the cultivation and the cropping are subservient to the interests of the sneep; indeed, it is often remarked that but for the sheep the hill farmers might well go to bedpresumably for the sleep that knows no waking. ,By pasturing the flock on the hills during a portion of the day, varying ■with its length and the season of the year, and folding them on the arable ground at night, the land is highly Fertilised, but everything gets back to -the sheep. Wheat, oats, and "seeds" form the principal rotation oil a Down farm, but there is no cast iron system and catch cropping is largely practised, and in addition to the staple sheep crop, • which is rape, large ■breadths of. rye and winter barley are grown for feed. To the stranger, a curious feature as the absence of permanent enclosures. The Down farm is as open as the African veldt, and destitute of hedge, fence, ditch, wall, or enclosure of any land, except the hurdles of which the folds on the arable land, or the lambing pens, are constructed. Water is often a serious question in exceptionally dry times, but it is a curious circircumstance that little round ponds, never more than about three feet deep in the middle, and containing only 300 or 400 hogsheads, are found on the summit of the slieep downs, affording <lrink for hundreds and yet. rarely going dry in the most trying <lroughts of summer-—a remarkable feature on jporus chalk. This dryness, the nature of the ground, the character of the soil, and general system of management, secures to the .Southdown an immunity from, parasitic diseases— lung strongyles, liver flukes, and tapeworm, as well as from foot rot, that many a lowland farmer might envy. A typical Down farm flocks may number from v. 0 to 2,000, and a regular system of drafting is pursued, the farm always carrying about the same head of sheep. A number of ewe lambs are brought into the breeding flock annually, and a like number of aged ewes are drafted out. The Down farmer rarely fattens sheep, that is the business of the- weald or lowland farmer, and his operations are generally confined exclusively to breed- I ing for market, with the rearina; of sufficient ewes to keep up the flock. The wether lamb, superfluous ewe lambs and the cast ewes are sold at the autumn fairs, of which, at Lewes and Findon, several are held in September. At Lewes from 20,000 to 30,000 sheep are penned, and hither resort lamb buyers from all parts to obtain -sheep for feeding. Very few turnips 4>r swedes are grown., the thin dry soil covering the substratum of chalk appearing not to suit them, but the main

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reliance is placed on rape ojc which day the flock is driven to feed the.short turf on the hill tops, and it is curious to note how they extend themselves over the broad acres as soon, as the JTSs belt is reached and fte, shepherd has passed the word to "his dog, that his vigilant keeping them together with no companionship but that of h s canine "friend, and it is wonderful how the pair manage to watch and at night collect so many sheep without any straying. A STEADY MARKET.

The home wool market shows practically no change, there being little movement apart from the canning out of previous made contracts^:! he situation generally is one of quiet waiting till something turns up, even enquiry being something below par. At the same time values are well maintained, particularly in fine wools, coarse crossbreds if anything being the turn cheaper. lam certain that a man can buy to-day to better advantage than when the last London sales closed, though even here there is little to call weakness. A good 40's prepared top can be bought as low as 16id, and some are firm at 17d. If topmakers had not now had in hand plenty of orders and deliveries to.make, they would have been very quiet, but not the slightest concern is felt when they see wool and tops going out at a rapid rate. So far there have been no accumulations, and it looks as if deliveries will continue to take place for some months to come. All crossbred users are sailing in one boat and 1-ing low in order to silence any attempt to incite English farmers. It is generally acknowledged that the best policy is to let things slide, and it is surprising how everyone in the crossbred trade are agreed upon a programme "of doing nothing until they see how English fairs open. A vastly different temper is seen in English circles, especially-compared with a year ago, and the home clip is going to be bought on a far different basis, or otherwise left strictly alone.

Merinos hold 'on their way undisturbed, and these if anything are on the hardening side. Plenty of topmakers have advanced their quotations and one or two firms have sold more than they are in the position to deliver. Some will not quote unless it be a price meant purposely to make business impossible^ and as.far as one can see great steadiness and increasing firmness characterises merinos. There is a long way the biggest call for good 60's and 64's qualities, and plenty of orders could be obtained if topmakers would accept 2s 3|d. There is no doubt that supplies are fairly adequate, and commission woolcombers have still all on to meet the demands of their customers. Spinners are finding particulars come in very freely, and a full three months is asked for the delivery of all new contracts. More profitable prices are being made to-day by spinners than since 1899, and'the outlook is still of the brightest for all fine quality wool. Mohair keeps very quiet, but quotations are unchanged. Some sunshine would greatly help the piece end of the trade, and do a vast amount of good.