The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-03-14
Mutton Sheen.

a writer in the american Aqrtcuit,tria saws.
Mutton is cheap True, but what mutton |:
Mr.. Judd, who has returned fcom an extended
tour in Europe, remarked TO me last week, GIVE
Us such mutton as ate in England and to nv
surprise, in Russia, and l will insure YOU 2Oc
per pound by the carcass in New York, while
hall starved common sheep are slow of sale at &c,
&c and DC per pound And, in fact, thousands
are being slaughtered III this section and boiled
up for the tallow. The hams are saved for
food the rest, after being pressed, is fed to
hogs"
The above is striking contrast of prices ii is
true, but Judge that there are many farmers
wire have yet to learn the value Of strictly
first-class mutton sheep. At the New York pri-
ces one can readily see what good South Down
wether that will dress 100 pounds il worth
And If such of our farmers as raise sheep to sell
III the city at common market prices, would turn
their attention mere to raising first-cass mutton
sheep, think they would find sheep-husbandry
more pleasant and more profitable. The South
Down ram is admirably calculated for crossing
with common or Merino ewes, and the lambs of
such cross are thrifty and sell at high prices.
have bred South Downs good while, and with
me, II they are turned out in the spring in good
condition, they almost universally fat as seals
in the fall. The Cotswolds and Leicesters are
exoellenr,heep on rich land and in small hocks
They insy do we'll in large focks if all their
wants are well supplied, but very much doubt
their ability TO thrive On pastures where the
Downs do extremely we'll. Many of our New
England pastures yield moderate supply of
sweet feed, but it is too much work for every
large sheep to fill themselves; on thus account
have thought the South Downs were sufficient
ly large for New En- land and the quality of
their mutton is never called in question by good
judges. When our farmers realize that eur rap
idly increasing population needs the rapid pro-
duction of good, palatable meat, and commence
raising mutton that, is worthy of the name,
think we shall see our farms improving rs we
have never known before. A great many farm.
ers of experience and observation are of the opn.
ion TINT no stock improves land like sheep, and
it is certain that no other farm stock will eat SO
many kinds of plants and weeds. If you have an
unsightly piece of weeds anywhere on your farm
cut it and it for your sheep, but don't try to
keep them on weeds alone, yet give them feed
once or twice week and you will be surprised
to see how heartily they will devour them.
never saw daisies bloom much where sheep were
pastured. have seen many times quite long mr.
ticles in the papers about getting rid of daisies
but If you have good flock of sheep they will
take care Of your daisies, depend upon it, il you
will let them The sheep is sometimes called "the
animal with the golden hoof," and no doubt many
OF our Vermont friends are of this opinion, but
we cannot all breed thousand.dollar sheep, but
many more of us can raise good mutton, and we
have seen that superior mutton sells well even in
these dull tines.-Airror and Turner.