The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-12-14
Turnlps Make Good Mutton.

Iurnlps MAKO Goou Mutton.
The English farmers, says writer
in Country Gentleman, feed their
sheep as do no other nation in the
world.
1t may be Especial possibility of the
climate, where the ever-weeping clouds
keep the land moist, so that the feed
is always succulent, and which fayors
the growth to perfection of the tur.
nips and the beets, while the grass
is proverbially sweet and always
green.
1t is strange thing that we on this
side OF the ocean-at least some of the
scientific part of us-will insist that
the food has nothing to do with the
quality or flavor of the flesh, or other
products of any animal; at least this
is peremptorily alleged in regard to
butter of cows, and this is a similar
product in any animal to the fat in
flesh, and is derived directly from, and
is favored by the food.
As the turnipy flavor and odor of
the English mutton come from the
feed-and the milk and butter are also
favored by this root-it must be adj
mitted that the succulence of the Eng
lish mutton chop is due to the special
feeding of the sheep. But whatever
may be the cause of this. excellence of
the English mutton, it is something
Tor us to study and make n practical
part of our sheep keeping, if we would
secure the best results from our work.
Root culture is the very key to success
OF English agriculture.
The British farmer is apt to call the
sheep "the rent payer" and as the
rent is far larger matter to him than
the whole interest on the value of an
average American farm, this is saying
much of the wool bearer, and the
sweet, tender, juicy mutton sheep. In
England the root crop is the cleaning
crop for the land, and by its feeding it
is the main enricher of the soil. We,
here, on this side of the ocean, spend
several times as much for commercial
fertilizers as the British farmer does.
He is far more interested in his COM
post heaps than we are, and the sheep
isa special manure maker and spreader
for him. Thus it is that the turnips
are eaten oft the land by sheep which
leave their liberal return on the land,
evenly spread, in exchange for their
food. And it is to these turnips that
the mutton owes its excellent qualities,
as is so truly and emphaticalIy insisted
on by the writer above referred to.
In our agriculture the root crop
naturally follows the corn. This is an
advantage the British farmer does not
enjoy, viz, to have two cleaning crops
following each other. Now if we were
to make practice of feeding sheep,
for which there is the widest kind of
opening, not only for our own steadily
increasing market for mutton and this
would be greatly stimulated if we were
to eat this luscious and OF all meats
the most nutritious, as we'll as salts
factory to the appetite also for
export, we might largely increase the
profit of our farms.
The South is especially interested
in this matter, for the Southern eli
mate is equally fitted for the culture
Of roots as is that of England, and
there is abundant land lying idle that
calls in the loudest manner for the
owners to mako it productive, to en-
rich it and help it to serve the good
purpose for which the great Creator
made it, and for which He conferred
it upon mankind, viz, to subdue it
and to replenish it and make it fruit
iul; for there the roots grown on the
and may be eaten directly from it, in
The English way, with no expense of
harvesting the crop. And the sleeps
golden foot, and the sweet tenderness
Of its meat made of this succulent
'ood, will inure to the pleasure and
profit of ourselves and the eager pur.
,hasers OF this product abroad. Farm,
Field and Fireside.