892 THE FARMER'S AIO> 



the horse that is two or three hours eating the coarse food 

 he would swallow in fifteen minutes, if the grain was 

 ground, or the hay cut as it should be ; the sheep that spends 

 hours in making its way into a turnip, when, if it was 

 sliced, it would eat it in as many minutes ; the pig that 

 eats raw potatoes, or whole corn, when either cooked 

 could be eaten in one quarter of the time now used, may 

 indeed fatten, but much less rapidly than if their food was 

 given them in a proper manner. All food should be given 

 to fattening animals in such a state, that as little time and 

 labor as possible, on the part of the animal, shall be re- 

 quired in eating. 



2nd. The food should be in abundance. From the time 

 the fattening process commences, until the animal is 

 slaughtered, he should never be without food. Health 

 and appetite are best promoted by change of food, rather 

 than by limiting the quantity. The animal that is stuffed 

 and starved by turns, may have streaked meat, but it will 

 be made too slowly for the pleasure or profit of the good 

 farmer. 



3rd. The food should be given regularly. This is one 

 of the most essential points in feeding animals. If given 

 irregularly, the animal indeed consumes his food, but he 

 soon acquires a restless disposition, is disturbed at every 

 appearance of his feeder, and is never in that quiet state 

 so necessary to the taking on of fat. ft is surprising how 

 readily any animal acquires habits of regularity in feed- 

 ing, and how soon the influence of this is felt in the im- 

 provement of his condition. When at the regular hour 

 the pig has had his pudding, or the sheep his turnips, 

 they compose themselves to rest, with the consciousness 

 that their digestion is not to be unseasonably disturbed, or 

 their quiet broken by unwonted invitation to eat. 



4th. The animal should not be needlessly intruded upon 

 between the hours of feeding. All creatures fatten much 



