AMERICAN SOUTHDOWNS.

Otago Witness, Volume 23, Issue 2684, 23 August 1905, Page 6

AMERICAN SOUTHDOWNS.

The American Southdown Breeders' Association's offer of a gold medal as a premium to the owner of the flock of Southdown sheep making the best show records sine© 1895 was based upon tiio number of premiums won at State, district, and county fairs (as agricultural shows are termed in that country) — a given number of points being allowed for sweepstakes, first, second, and third premiums. For this medal there have been, a number of rompetitoVs, the leadnig ones being: Gea, M'Kerrow, Sussex, Wisconsin ; John Jackson and Sons, Abingdon, Ontario, Canada; F. W. Barrett. Wadsworth, New York; and W. E. Spicer, Harvard, Nebraska. The report states that it may take ait official count to determine the successful competitor. Special premiums are offered by this association for competitions of Southdown sheep at the annvlal fairi. One of the latest reports to hand notifies the awards (is follows, Yi-hioh we give in detail as shoving how at idely the breed is patronised throughout the United States and; Canada: — IHmojs State Fair: Sweepstakes ram, Geo. M'Kerrow, Sussex, Wisconsin ; sweepstakes ewe, Geo. Allen, Allerton, Illinois. New York State Fair : Sweepstakes ram, Lester J. Bashford, Hollowville, New York : sweepstakes ewe, F. W. Barrett, Wadsworth, New York. Winter Show, Toronto, Canada.: Sweepstakes ram, John Jackson and Sons, Abingdon, Ontario ; swee>pstakes ewe, A. Simentmn and Sens, Blackne&th, Ontario. The "winners of the above premiums received) a» set of the volumes of the English Southdown Flock Bock.

For pen of lanibs bred by exhibitors (premium, a s-et of the voltmies of t-h» American Southdown Record) awards have been made in the several States as follows: — Illinois — W. E. Spicer, Harvard, Nebraska ; Massachusetts — B. Frank Batchelder, Button, Massachusetts ; Pennsylvania — S. E. Bryan, Pennsylvania; Wisconsin — Geo. M'Kerrow, Sussex, Wisconsin ; Winter Show, Toronto — John Jackson and Sons, Abingdon, Ontario. Southdown sheep breeders in the States are n&w applying for the registration of animals that are approaching the two-year-old limit, thus avoiding the payment of double registry fees that are required aftec animals a,re over that age. The demand! for Southdown sheep has been remarkably good 1 , and the indications are that it wiil be still better. It is plainly stated : "The claim that tfoa&p sheep are the best of any for nruttonising as compared with other breeds is acknowledged wherever they have been tried."