Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-06-16

ON KEEPING SHEEP.-Sheep culture has
been sadly neglected in Maine, and the little
attention paid to it has been with reference TO
wool rather than mutton. Few Americans
indeed have any correct idea of what really
good mutton Is, although good many have
tasted sheep flesh. Fine wooded sheep do not
yield good mutton. How could it be expected,
when the fat yielding portion OF the food is
used up in oiling the wool, that the same fat
should also be laid on the ribs Is it not the
method of Providence to pile up Incompatible
excellences i'll any animal, whether it be a
sheep, cow, or horse. The value OF mutton as
an article ottood, and the cheapness with which
it can be produced, by breeds adopted for the
purpose and with proper treatment, are COM
parativeiy unknown among us. They are
matters better understood in Great Britain,
where high rents and the demands of am
abundant population have drawn attention to
the subject Great Britain, in proportion to
her area, keeps twenty-six times as many sheep
as Maine.
In view ofthe profits which may be secured
by prosecution of sheep husbandry under
ordinary circumstances, and more especially Of
the possibility that the agtM ScoMge nooo among the
neat cutie Of Massachusetts may oist Name,
would it not be a wise and cheap measure of
prudence for each farmer in Maine to sell no
breeding lamb Of the present year, and
tor each neighbOrhOod to club together, if
necessary, to procure pure breed ram of some
good mutton variety, and fairly try the exper-
lment OF growing cheap, healthy, digestible
meat
The principal mutton breeds which have
been proved here, are the CoTswoLD, LEICEs-
TER and SOUTH Down. Either of the two
former, if well treated, will give a very large
carcaSe and abundance of cheap, fat, and good
meat. The fat, to be sure, is rather to much
like hogs-toO much by itself and not SO well
mixed in with the lean as is desirable, but
nevertheless, it is deaf better than what we
have been accustomed to call mutton, and what
our butchers brag about, when they get it, as
something almost marvellous. Between these
two breeds there is little to choose either on the
score Of meat or wool. Among sheep they
occupy a similar position to that Of the Dur
hams among cattle ; are large, round bodied,
square built, Of very carly maturity, requiring
good food and plenty of it, and good care gen
orally and when they get these, they will
pay their bills handsomely and promptly
Both give good combine mot telting) wool
from six to eight or ten inches long, and suit
able for blankets and other similar fabrics.
Like the Short Horns, their grades or, at
least, the first cross with natives inherit in
good measure the size and form of the male
with the constitution of the native dam, and so
are harder than the full-boods.
The SOUTH Downs are fully as well built
for yielding much meat with little otlal-are
about a third smaller-are hardier-wil tatten
on poorer pastures-will give fewer pounds of
meat in proportion to the food consumed, but
of lar better quality, being Of superior .facor
and the flesh beautifully mdrJiod-the fat and
the lean thoroughly mixed together. Their
wool is shorter than that of the others named,
and in quality about equal to halt.blood Mer-
iS eli