The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-09-07

Much interest has been aroused among
sheep breeders by the recent importation
from Persia Of fifteen broad or lat-tailed
sheep by Hon. Truxton Beale, United
States Consul General to the Shah's court
at Teheran. One hundred and one years
ago George Washington was presented
with a ram of this valuable breed. q. w.
j. Curtis used this ram as part OF the
basis for his celebrated Arlington long
wooded flock. From time immemorial
broad-tal!ed sheep have existed In South
western Asia, and to this day it is the
only breed OF sheep found in the Orient.
The Hebrews killed it for sacrifice, and
1.-The fat thereof, the whole rump, taken
Off lizard by the backbone" was burnt
upon the altar as the food of the offer
ing made by fire unto the Lord" The
broad-tailed is the only species of sheep
sculptured on the ancient bas-reiiefs OF
Assyria, Babylon and Persia. Almost
every nation of the old world as 1t sue
oossivoly occupied these countries valued
these sheep highly, and the species has
never given place to any other.
The unusually large caudal appendage
is the distinguishing characteristic OF the
race, and being composed Of an accumu-
lation of very delicate fat is used ex-
clustvely in the preparation of many
Oriental foods highly praised in prose
and poetry. This fat is preferred to but
Ter for cooking purposes, and can be kept
longer without rancidity. The part of the
tail nearest the hind quarters is much en-
Urged, its shape being almost orDlcular.
Beyond this mass OF fat the ordinary tail
extends several inches. The portion
nearest The tail bone contains but little
lat, being composed of two strong tissues,
upper and lower. Tho small amount Of
lat deposited between these two layers is
claimed to be the sweetest and most deli
cate. From the tail bone downwards the
sides OF the tail enlarge until the lower
rounded edges attain a thickness of sew
eral inches. The bone of the tail extends
through the median line, dividing it into
two equal lobes, to where the two cush-
ion-Shaped masses leave an open space.
This is covered, or filled, by the tail
proper, which extends down four or five
inches, ending in bunch Of short. coarse
hair. Some naturalists have claimed
that the broad tail has the same functions
as the hump of the camel, but the ana
tomical structure of the fat mass is totally
different, having no direct connection
with the digestive system.
Aside from the value of this enormous
bulk ofdehcate and palatable fat rs human
all the surplus fat which makes the mu:-
ton of some breeds of sheep almost unit
for the table. The tat OF the tail is some
what like lard, but more like butter
when properly melted. The tail of q
well-brod sheep constitutes not less than
one-fourth of the dressed weight of the
carcass, and when properly fattened for
the butcher may be one-third Of the
weight. The lower part of the tail has most
bulk and weight, and gives 50 per cent.
of pure fat on melting. The upper part
has less fat, but the whole will average 10
per cent. of edible tallow. The mutton of
this breed is claimed by many to be I'M
rivaled by any other, and when cooked
in its own tail' will please the most eX-
acting epicure. 1t is juicy, sweet favored
and entirely free from any fatty taste. 1t
has more finely grained muscles in pro-
portion TO its weight than any other
breed. A flock of good Broad-tails, when
ready for the market, ought to average
ninety pounds to the carcass without the
tail.
The best Broad-tail sheep for mutton
are those found in kurdiStan and around
Mount Ararat. They shear six TO seven
pounds of coarse, long -stapled wool to
the fleece; their color is either dark or
light brown or gray. They are tho heav
lest of all, with enormous tails, often
weighing torty-hv to fifty pounds. 1t is
in this locality that the owners are obliged
TO put small carts under the tails and har-
ness them To the breast, in order to re-
lieve this Inflated creature from dragging
this incumbrance. Often when the cart
is not fixed at the proper time one of the
lobes drops Oft by its own weight. IL is
not uncommon to see animals with half
of tail, the other half either dropped of
or carried away by wolves, which, like
trained epicures, know good thing when
they taste it, and II they nave access to Il
piece OF the delicious fat of the TAIL they
do not bother themselves by chewing the
flesh and bone.
The Broad-tail sheep of the western and
southern provinces of Armenia, espeCi-
ally those of Asia Minor, are smaller in
size, but finer in fleece. They are either
of n uniform pure white or jet black in
color. A variety of the black Broad-tail,
which is enormously called the "Astra-
kan Sheep" is highly valued on account
of its soft skin covered with very fine,
short and curly fleece. They are almost
exclusively bred by CircassianS, who use
the skin for caps and other wearing APP
parel. Five of the Broad-tailed sheep of
the BayaZit breed have been imported
from kurdistan, Persia, for trial in the
climate of Calitornia.-A. G.. Asdikian,
United States Department of Agriculture,
In the American Agriculturist.
WATER IN AGRICULTURE.
AS a general rule farmers hardly realize
of crops. They know that n certain degree
of moisture is necessary in order to Sc
cure the termination of seed; they also
know that in the hot season n lack of
moisture suspends growth, if the crop is
not actually injured. But because in the
season of procuring hay clear and dry
weather is a desirable condition the fact
of the effect upon growing crops is largely
overlooked. Then there is another point
that gives occasion for less thought of the
matter, and that is, in many sections of
the country, during spring and fall, there
is usually such an abundance of moisture
that in some instances it is almost obiec-
tionable, whereby its great importance as
an element of successful farming is less
felt than in sections known as the arid
regions. and where water is valued as an
agent of success for all it is worth
We are apt TO value an article in pro-
portion to its availability as we'll as lis
necessity. II an article for which there
is a necessity is at hand at all times, il oc-
cupies little of the thought, even though
il la deficient for short period, TO which
we get accustomed. And so it is with
water in farming; because there are times
when we feel that there is superabund-
ance, and comparatively short period
when there is a deficiency, we are in re-
atty rendered insensible TO the actual
need when such occurs.
This becomes more noticeable in plant
ing. Plant crop IN the spring as soon
as the ground gets warm and when fully
charged with moisture, and then
wait and plant again in the same soil
after il has become pretty dry, and the
difference in coming up and vigor of sub
sequent growth is very marked.
Moisture is the medium whereby the
food elements of the soil are conveyed TO
the growing plant, and without this the
plant must finger in condition of star
Natinn. and that, too. at q period in real