West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-03-30
FARM NOTES.
Why Our Mutton is Poor.

this country as an INFERIOR meat II
ranks below beef, and in the opinion
Of many is not as desirable as pork.
Throughout the Southern States the
prejudice against it is so strong that
many persons never eat it. In South
America, where large numbers Of
sheep are kept, but little mutton is
eaten. In most of the countries on
the continent of Europe but little
mutton is eaten by the hiSher class
es. Only in the British islands is
mutton regarded as equal to the
flesh Of other dOmesticated animals.
Such was not always the case there.
English literature affords abundant
evidence that beef and pork were
considered till quite recently vastly
superior TO mutton. The flesh Of
sheep was eaten by the poorer class
es; who could not obtain that of cat
tie and pigs. Sheep were kept for
the wool they produced, and their
flesh was of secondary value. At
the grand feasts they were attended
by the mobiles roast beei, pork, game
and fowls were served, but no men
ton was made of mutton.
When Great Britain became dense
" populated, but before live or
dressed beef was brought to the
country across the seas, there was a
great demand for fresh meat. As a
consequence an attempt was made
to increase the size Of sheep and TO
improve the quality of their flesh.
JudiciOus breeding, extra care in
afTording protection, and great pains
in selecting the proper food resulted
in producing an animal Of very large
size. whose flesh was regarded as
equal, if not superior to beef. At
length distinctive breeds of mutton
sheep were established that became
famous throughout the world. Con
sidering the size of the animals they
produced but small amount OF
wool, and this was not fine and was
deficient in yOlk.
They were raised mostly for their
flesh, their fleece being of secondary
Importance. 1t was found that they
could be bred and fattened on farms
where many cattle were kept to ex-
cellent advantage, as they would eat
much food that was Of little value
when fed to other farm animals.
Raising mutton soon became pro-
fitable industry.
The mutton produced in this coun-
try is generally poor for variety of
reasons. 1t is regarded as product
Incidental to raising wool. In the
great majority of cases sheep have
been kept for the fleeces they afford.
During a period of more than fifty
years almost every sheep-raiser was
striving to produce very fine wool.
This grade of wool is produced only
on sheep of comparatively small
size. When a sheep of small size
affords annually a fleece weighing
from ten to fifteen pounds and con-
tains large amount of yolk and oil
it is hardly to be expected that it
will furnish an excellent quality of
meat or a large amount of it. Few
if any of the fur-bearing animals
furnish very good flesh. The sub
stances derived from food that would
90 to form flesh and fat are disposed
of in producing the covering Of their
skins. Such is the case with the
merinO and other fne-wool sheep.
The production of its heavy fleece
and the large amount of oil it con-
tains calls for much valuable food,
which eaten by other animals would
result in forming flesh and fat.
Sheep are not generally fed with
a view of producing flesh and fat, as
cattle and pigs are. Many seem to
think that poor land makes the best
sheep pasture. Railroad companies
and spectators having large blocks
of land not fit for cultivation adyer-
tise it as suitable for grazing sheep.
During the winter sheep are expect
ed to live principally on straw, corn
fodder and wild hay, while cattle eat
the corn and timothy bay. 1t is be-
heyed by many that grain causes
the wool to become loose on sheep
and to fall off during the winter or
the early part of the spring. Sheep
are kept in pasture later in the fall
than other farm animals are and are
turned into it earlier in the spring.
If they are allowed to eat clover
when green or when converted into
hay it is because it is presumed to
be injurious to horses. If pumpkins
and roots are given to sheep to eat
the object generally is to prevent
them from going to decay. Pigs
have a monopoly on dispOsing of the
contents of the corn-crib and horses
on the contents of the oat-bin. If
sheep manage to get a living at any
season of the year they are presum-
ed to be doing well enough.
Fine, juicy, fat, and well favored
mutton cannot be produced till the
the large and coarse wOOl-breeds of
sheen are kept in the place of the