New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-22
WESTERN MUTTON.

ts one of the incomprehensible things in Western
Agriculture that 30 little attention is paid to the bus-
ness of fattening sheep. With vast country as well
adapted to making mutton pork, and in many re-
spect even better is one of the rarest things to sec
farm devoted to the raising Of sheep for their meat
alone, while it is equally TO find farmer who
does not raise hogs and fatten them for their pork
We are aware that the West is full of sheep, and
that the business is not considered very profitable.
There are some good ocks-in fact, some large flock
masters whose principal business is TO raise sheep
but is for their fleece alone Very few farmers, East
or West. have ever made a business of making NUT
ton. The sheep are almost entirely bred for wool,
not for meat. And besides this, than one half
of all the sheen in the United States not bred
distinctly for meat or WOOL but simply because they
are sheep, and will answer in some sort for both
nnrposes: but their fleece is often of coarse,
uppro6table kind, and their bodies lean and light.
Such sheep are naturally slow to acquire fat when fed
for that purpose, just as their fleece is naturally OF
light weight or coarse fiber. Such sheep are not
profitable, although so common all over the country
OF all varieties of domestic animals the flesh of
sheep is least used except in cities in proportion to
the quantity that is rather might be, proftably
provided. We esteem mutton almost the very best
kind of meat consumed by civilized people. That
its production would be found among the most profit
able we have no doubt, provided good breed of
sheep were selected especially for their meatproduc-
ing qualities For this purpose we esteem the South
Down variety the very best. We have known fiocks
Of fat sheen of this sort sold here for s25 per head
Certsinly this is paying price. We have several
times this Winter reported sales of sheep OF the long,
wooded kind at sl2 to $50 per head which equal
- l.
profitable price for the farmer particularly the farmer
Of the West the greatest country in the world for the
production Of pork
All the long-wooled varieties Of sheep, known as
Bakewel, Leicester, Cotswold, New-oxiordshire,
&c. are fatproducng animals; that is, they are as
naturally inclined to acquire fat as other animals are
10 produce only lean meat. In England, such mutton
is much esteemed. In this country the lean kinds are
preferred In Ohio and other Western States there
grade of sheep called common that are as well fitted
for the purposes of the Western farmer as any he
could obtain in this country Except the South Do"hs
to breed for mutton, If careful selections were msne
and some care exercised in breeding and feeding. IL
is true they are mongre breed made up OF crosses OF
all the varieties ever imported but they are strong
and hardy and onglegged, which are valuable quar-
ties for the drover. Their bodies, when well tatied
al two three years old, will welgn from ~ ~ o.
pounds, and the meat is just iat enough TO SUIT the
American taste. TIE heavier carcasses of the long
wooed variety generally too fat, though we think
the taste for fat mutton is acquired one, Ike that
for fat pork.
But FAT or lean, mutton viii always find ready sale
81 this city at remunerating prices. Western farmers
should turn their attention more earnestly TO the sub
ieet of raising sheep, not for WOOL but meat for the
supply of all the eestern cites. We profess to be toll
.rably wen acquainted with the great lraries Of the