156 FINE WOOL SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 



was at least as delicate as that of any other breed of 

 sheep." Various French writers confirm these views. 



It is to be remembered that in England the Merino 

 mutton had to encounter long-established and obsti- 

 nate prejudices. Its people were accustomed to 

 carcasses of a particular form, fat laid on in a particu- 

 lar way, and more of it in proportion to the lean meat 

 than the Merino readily takes on. 



On the other hand, the great body of Americans 

 are neither accustomed to, nor do they choose, exces- 

 sively fat fresh meats of any kind, and particularly 

 mutton. Most of them, after attempting to eat well- 

 cooked New Leicester or Dishley mutton, with two and 

 a half or three inches of outside fat, turn away from 

 it with loathing, or eat only the leaner parts. Yet 

 the English factory operative or farm laborer finds 

 just what he wants in that mutton, because its fat 

 will, in soups, &c., convert a large amount of vegeta- 

 bles into more palatable and nutritious food, and thus 

 it will go further in imparting the effects of animal 

 food than any other meat. 



The meat of the Merino, when well fattened and 

 properly treated,* is juicy, short-grained, high-colored, 

 and well flavored. In all these particulars American 

 taste adjudges it superior to the meat of the English 

 long-wooled sheep. Though the scarcity and value 

 of fall-blood Merinos have prevented many of them 

 from appearing in our markets, the grades have always 

 been favorites with the butcher and consumer. The 

 former finds that they weigh well for their apparent 

 size, and get to market in excellent condition. There 



* A portion of our population cook and eat mutton as soon as it is 

 killed! 



