Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-04-12
FOR THE FARMER.
The Flavor of Mutton Dependent on the
Manner of Dressins-Keep Farm
Records.
Same of the Minor Causes of Failure in
Making Farming Operations
Profitable.
HON 10 uAYE GOOD MrTTON.

support combustion in the lungs, or.
in other words, to maintain the ami
NAL heat The Laplander and the
EsquimauX find a grateful diet in
the oils or the adipOse of the Arctic
fishes and mammalia. That fat pork
should be the favorite meat Of the peo-
pie in the northern part of the United
States IS not perhaps so singular, es-
pccially in winter, but that it should
constitute SO large a proportion OF
all the food consumed is indeed most
anomalous fact and is utterly I'M
paralleled among the practices of other
nations occupying the same ATTITUDES.
The tendency of this practice to pro-
duce disease, physical inertia, indis-
position, and incapacity to sustain con-
tinued activity will not, | think, be
questioned by the modern pathologist
or close observer.
Mutton is not a favorite food in the
United States, owing partly to the fact
above stated. As to quality, much de-
ponds upon the breed, condition of
feeding, and the manner of dressing
1t needs no other proof than is to be
found in the experience of every in
diyidual to show that the appetite is
readily trained to relish what was even
positively disgusting, and TO become
Indifferent to what was once the most
grateful. How many relish the tomato
or the oyster on the first trial, or how
many individuals really love the taste
of chicken pot-pie as when a boy, with
capacity far in excess of the supply?
The breed of sheep that yields the
most sayory mutton is the Welsh
mountain sheep. It roams at large
over the hill and lOwland of its native
wales very like the American deer prior
to the advent Of civilization; hence the
venisonish flavor of its flesh, caused by
the quality of its food and the nature
of its environments. The legs are very
small, never reaching ten pounds, aud
are sold at the fancy grocers' shops at
two OF three times the price of Ordina-
" mutton. A recollection of the ten
der sweetness of one of these Welsh
legs is apt TO give n higher apprecia-
ton Of these small sheep than might
be profitable for Il farmer to entertain
The Other mountain breeds of sheep,
such as the Cheviot, Scotch blackfaced.
and the Rocky Mountain Argali, yield
flesh very like the Welsh mutton, but
of coarser character, and proportion
ately less juicy and sweet. The best
quality of mutton in the United States
is found in the carcass of the pure-bred
Southdown. Their mutton is of the
best flavor, caused chiefly by the ex-
cellent character OF their pasture, and
being bred in line for nearly n half
century, these excellent qualities have
become Il characteristic popularity of
the breed.
No one breed of sheep combines the
highest perfection in all the points
which give value to this race of ami
mails. One is remarkable for weight
or early maturity, or excellent quality
of its carcass, while it is deficient in
quantity of wool; one is hardy, small
and wild, while another may be ten
der and quite domestic; and another
which is valuable for wool is compare
lively deficient in carcass. Some
breeds will flourish only under certain
conditions of feed and climate, while
others are much less affected by those
conditions, and will subsist under the
greatest variations of temperature
and on the most opposite qualities of
verdure.
That the quality of any flesh depends
greatly upon the manner of its dress
ing | am certain. The quality of the
flesh of the rabbit is 80 per cent. better
if dressed Immediately after being
killed. The flesh of the prairie chick
en-, as eaten in Chicago, is unpalat-
able, while it is the best of flesh when
dressed properly Immediately after be-
ing killed. "WoOlly mutton" as it is
e
rabbit or prairie chicken. ''Woolly NUT
ton" is not caused by the flesh coming in
contact with the wool, as many CT
roneously suppose. The disagreeable
flavor is impaired to tie meat by age,
by bad feeding Cor no feeding ut alp,
and by delay in removing the viscera.
Let sheep be properly managed from
birth to butchcring, and the entrails
taken out with neatness and dispatch,
and the carcass can be wrapped in the
yolkiest. wrinkliest skin without detri-
ment, barring the uncleanliness. The
moment the last drop of blood is shed,
the entrailS begin to emit gas which
permeates the flesh and causes the
''sheepy or woolly" smell and taste.
To avoid this the entrails should be re-
moved before taking off the pelt, or
the pelt must be removed quickly. |
have practiced, and find it satisfactory,
the following mode of dressing NUT
ton: | sever the head with a cleayer,
open the pelt ut the hind legs, insert
the gambrel and hang Immediately.
An opening is made and pail CT cold
water poured in, which arrests this gas
and cools the entrails. The pelt is re-
moved, after which the water is let out
by making a small opening near the
point of the breast-bone, after which
the mutton is CENTRALIZED. A clean cloth
should be used to remove blood-stains
rather than water.
LACK OF BUSINESS TACT IN FARMING.
Lack of business tact and failure to
employ business principles in farming
operations and in buying and selling
are frequent causes of failure. Many
personsconductf farming in very loose
sort of way. They never take an in
ventory of what they have, no ac-
counts. 1t would be difficult for many
to ascertain whether thew are richer
or poorer than they were a year ago.
They do not know whether they were
gamers or losers 10y raising a certain
crop or by feeding a lot of animals
They can not tell whether their COWS
are sources of profit or of loss. Several
horses may "eat their heads off,
before their owner makes the dis
coverv. They are generally ignorant
about the amount of their indebted
ness or the times when their cA2iga-
tions are due They have MANY rGu-