Book V. CHOICE OF IMPLEMENTS. 725 



attention. But any controversy on that subject can only arise from want of proper dis- 

 crimination. Fat meat is unquestionably more nourishing than lean, though to digest 

 this oily matter, there are required, on account of its difficult solubility, a good bile, 

 much saliva, and a strong stomach ; consequently none, excepting those v'ho are in the 

 most vigorous state of health, or who are employed in hard labor, can properly digest it. 

 Though fat meat, however, is unfit for general consumption, yet experiments in the art 

 of fattening animals, are likely to promote useful discoveries; and though, in the course 

 of trying a number of experiments, errors and excesses may be committed, yet on the 

 whole, advantage may be derived from the knowledge thus to be obtained. As the bone 

 also gains but little in the fatting animal, and the other offal becomes proportionably less, 

 as the animal becomes more fat, the public has not sustained much loss by over- fatted 

 animals. To kill even hogs till they are thoroughly fat, is exceeding bad economy. An 

 ox or cow, though the little flesh it has may be of good quality, yet presents, when lean, 

 little but skin and bone ; and if slaughtered in that state would neither indemnify the 

 owner for the expense of breeding and maintaining it, nor benefit the public. A coarse 

 and heavy-fleshed ox, which would require a very long time, and much good food to 

 fatten, may be slaughtered with most advantage while rather lean. It is not, however, 

 so much the extent of fat, as the want of a suflficient quantity of lean flesh, of which 

 the consumer complains ; for it cannot be doubted, that the lean flesh of a fat animal is 

 superior in quality, and contains more nourishment, than any other meat. 



4484. Handling welt. The graziers and butchers in various parts of the kingdom have 

 recourse to the hand, and the feeling of the skin, or cellular membrane, for ascertaining a 

 disposition to fatten ; and since Bake well directed the public attention so much to breed- 

 ing, that practice has become more generally known. Handling cannot easily be defined, 

 and can only be learnt by experience. The skin and flesh of cattle, when handled, should 

 feel soft to the touch, somewhat resembling that of a mole, but with a little more resistance 

 to the finger. A soft and mellow skin must be more pliable, and more easily stretched 

 out, to receive any extraordinary quantity of fat and muscle, than a thick or tough one. 

 The rigid-skinned animal must therefore always be the most difficult to fatten. In a 

 good sheep, the skin is not only soft and mellow, but in some degree elastic. Neither 

 cattle nor sheep can be reckoned good, whatever their shapes may be, unless they are 

 first-rate handlers. The improved short-horned breed, beades their mellowness of skin, 

 are likewise distinguished by softness and silkiness of hair. Too great a length, however, 

 ought not to be aimed at, since it is not easy, in that case, to preserve a due proportion 

 in the appearance of the animal, without which it cannot be considered perfect. 



4485. Lightness of offal. An animal solely bred for the shambles, should have as 

 little offal, or parts of inferior value, as possible (consistently with the health of the 

 animal), and consequently a greater proportion of meat applicable as food for man. 

 This, therefore, the skilful farmer will also keep in view in selecting his species of 

 stock. {Code, ^c.) 



Sect. II. Of, the Choice of Agricidtural Imiylements, Seeds and Plants. 



4486. The variety and excellence of agricultural implements is so great that the prudent 

 farmer in regard to that, as well as in every other branch of his art, must study economy. 

 He should not incur an unnecessary expense in buying them, nor in purchasing more 

 than are essentially requisite, and can be profitably used. This maxim ought to be more 

 especially attended to by young improvers, who are often tempted, under the specious 

 idea of diminishing labor, and saving expense, to buy a superfluous quantity of imple- 

 ments, which they afterwards find are of little use. (Coventrfs Disc. p. 47.) It is 

 remarked by an intelligent author on matters of husbandry, that a great diversity of 

 implements^ as they are more rarely used, prove in general a source of vexation and 

 disappointment, rather than of satisfaction to the farmer. 



4487. The dfferent implements required by the farmer are : those of tillage, for drilling 

 ior sowing corn ; for reaping corn ; for harvesting corn ; for threshing and cleaning corn ; 

 for mowing and harvesting hay ; of conveyance ; for draining ; for harnessing stock ; 

 for rolling land ; for the dairy ; and, for miscellaneous purposes. 



4488. In purchasing implements, the following rules are to be observed : they should 

 be simple in their construction, both that their uses may be more easily understood, and 

 that any common workman may be able to repair them, when they get out of order ; 

 the materials should be of a durable nature, that the labor may be less liable to inter- 

 ruption from their accidental failure ; their form should be firm and compact, that tliey 

 may not be injured by jolts and shaking ; and that they may be more safely worked by 

 country laborers, who are but little accustomed to the use of delicate tools. In the larger 

 machines, symmetry, and lightness of shape, ought to be particularly attended to : for a 

 heavy carriage, like a great horse, is worn out by its own weight, nearly as much as by 

 what he carries. The wood should be cut up and placed in a position the best calcu- 



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