The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1905-04-07
The NeWtOwn Bee
CIRCULATION
900
1850
Ten Pager.
LITCHFlELD COUNTY
NEW PRESTON.
L. A. TYRRELL INDICATED.

L. A. TYRRELL INDICATED.
The members of the Stove club at
New Preston were inclined to laugh
and ridicule L. A. Tyrrell's yarn about
the Stat tail Sheep" but for the bene-
fit Of the members of this Important
and brainy club, The BEE quotes this
article from Woods Natural History:
In several foreign breeds of the do
nestle sheep there is curious tenden-
binder quarters. This propensity is
not valued in our own country, where
the sheep are almost invariably de-
tails by the hand of the shepherd, and
in consequence is never developed. In
some varieties, however, such as the
steatophygous sheep of Tartary, the
fat accumulates upon the hinder quar-
tiers in such enormous masses that the
shape of the animal Is completely al
tered. The fat of this portion Of the
body will sometimes weigh between
30 and 40 pounds, and when melted
down, will yield from 20 to 80 pounds
of pure tallOw. So fnordinate is the
growth of the fat that the tail be-
comes almost obliterated, and is only
perceptible externally as little round
fleshy button. Some varieties present
a different mode OF producing fat, and
deposit a large amount Of fatty matter
in the tail. Fat-tailed sheep are
found in every part of the world, and
are much valued on account of the pc
culiarity from which they derive their
name. The Syrian variety is remark
able for the enormous dimensions of
the tail, which in highly fattened and
carefully tended specimens will weigh
from 10 to 80 pounds. So large, in
deed, are the tails, and so weighty are
they, that the shepherds are forced to
protect them from the ground by ty-
ing fiat pieces of board to their under
surface. Sometimes they add pair
of little wheels to the end which drags
on the ground, in order to save the an
imal the trouble of drawing the bare
board over the rough earth. The fat
which is procured from the tail is
highly valued, and is used in lieu of
butter, as we'll as to "lard" meat
that would otherwise be unpleasantly
dry and tasteless. 1t is also melted
down and poured into jars of preserved
meat, for the purpose of excluding the
air. These sheep are most carefully
watched, and are generally fed by
hand. At the Cape of Good Hope a
fat-tailed race of sheep has long been
prevalent, and is reared in flocks of
Considerable size, tended by Hottentot
herdSmen. This is a very valuable an
imal, for it not only furnishes good
mutton, together with great quanti-
ties of fat, but, when young, supplies
it's owner with beautifully soft and
warm garments. The skins of the
Cape sheep are prepared for use by be-
ing cleaned, dressed, and sewn togeth-
er; and are of such excellent quality
that they form warmer coverlet than
could be obtained from any other ma
terial. Their outward show is not at
all inferior to their quality; for they
are SO smooth and soft that few per
sons would guess that they had once
formed part of the natural covering OF
a sheep. The fat of these animals is
mostly collected in the tail and hinder
quarters, and is peculiarly soft when
removed from the animal, being in an
almost Semi-f1uid state. It is thought
great delicacy, sand is also in great
request for the manufacture of soap,
THE WONDERFUL TEA FARM AT PINE
AND Is CURED-FORTUNE AND LIFE
DEVOTED TO CHARITABLE ANI
CHRISTIAN WORK.-A GRACEFUL
SKETCH OF AN ENCHANTING COUN'
TRY IN THE sOUTH.-AMONG THE
MAJESTIC AND VINE CLAD PINES OF
sUMMERVILLE WHERE NATURE HAS
BEEN MOST LAVISH IN HER DECOR.
ATOMS AND WHERE THE WEATHER
Is HEALTH GIVING AND DELIGHTFUL
IN ITS INFLUENCEs.-MRS H. W
BROWN IN NEW HAVEN LEADER.
The first question the tourist asks
on making an initial visit to resort
of health or pleasure is "What are the
principal points of interest in and
about the place" and what ought 1 tc
visit first.
On our arrival at Summerville, S. c.,
we asked the above of divers persons.
All gave the same answer, "The Pine
hurst Tea Farm"
1t may be information to many of
the readers Of The Leader to know
that tea is grown and cured in our
own country, with success and pre-
sumably with profit.
We believe it a correct statement
that at The Pinehurst Tea Gardens is
the only place in this broad land of
ours where the industry is carried on
to any extent.
Soon after arriving in Summerville
we sought out this famous Tea Farm,
which we found located in a grove of
pines, their green tops towering from
100 to $50 feet toward the blue sky
above us, on many the English Ivy
trailing to their very tops.
On entering the grounds we found
ourselves on broad avenue, bOrdered
on either side by rare shrubbery,
brought from every country in the
world, some in full bloom, presenting
scene both grand and enchanting and
appearing to US as though entering a
park instead of a farm.
At his private residence we found
the owner, DIR Charles U, Shepard,
who welcomed US most cordially and
after few minutes conversation in
PRODUCED us to his commercial associ-
ate, Maj R. p. Trimble Ia Connecticut
boy by birth), a most courteous and
pleasing gentleman, to whom we are
deeply indebted.
He talked tea to us until we were as
much mixed on the subject as the
greenhorn Irish waitress who asked
the guest at dinner if he would take
Ta-Ta or Coffee-Ta.
From Major Trimble we cleaned the
following information: The farm
comprises about 900 acres, 80 of which
is set to tea. It was started as fad
by DR. Shepard in 1890, but has proven
as business proposition presumably
profitable, net income from this as
we'll as from the owners private for
tune being devoted almost entirely to
charity. The tea is propagated from
seeds obtained from nearly all the tea
producing countries of the world.
Several varieties are made but their
nroduct ia nrinci na11V confined tn throo
which they designate as "black,''
o. nerican hraa kfaSt,, and tknroar, ),