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turage is very luxuriant, and the climate mild, which can fur- 

 nish mutton-ewes at these prices, with profit to themselves. 

 There is no doubt that in the " artificial feeding " of England, 

 mutton will yield an ample return. But we cannot believe 

 that, as a general thing in New England, we can afford to re- 

 duce the value of the fleece for the sake of what profit we can 

 make on the mutton. 



That a combination of these two interests is possible, we 

 have every reason to believe. There is a large quantity of 

 mutton brought to market of very high quality and good 

 flavor, which comes from the fine-wool regions of New Eng- 

 land. The carcasses weigh from 50 to 60 pounds, are not 

 loaded with a great weight of external fat, but carry much 

 tallow, have good cauls, and furnish meat of fine grain and well 

 marbled. The best of these sheep are Grade Merinos, usually 

 wethers, whose wool has paid well for their keeping until they 

 have arrived at full maturity. They compare well with the 

 mountain sheep of Scotland — the favorite of the English epi- 

 cure, who sends his own over-fattened mutton to market, for 

 those who have a less delicate palate than himself. The class 

 of sheep of which we are speaking are not only profitable to 

 the producer from their heavy fleeces and the small amount of 

 food which they consume, but they give a larger return to the 

 feeder than any others. John Johnston, Esq., of Seneca 

 County, New York, one of the most careful and successful of 

 American farmers, stated in a communication to the Boston 

 Cultivator, last winter, that after an experience of many years, 

 he had found fine-woolled wethers the most profitable sheep 

 that he could feed for the market. Thomas J. Field, Esq., of 

 Northfield, in this State, an excellent judge of cattle and sheep, 

 a most systematic farmer, and an extensive feeder, has informed 

 us that this is the conclusion to which his long experience has 

 brought him. The sheep Referred to by these gentlemen are, 

 undoubtedly, a cross between the Merino and the common 

 native sheep of the section, composed of the various coarse- 

 wooUed breeds which have been distributed throughout the 

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