CHAP. VII.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 161 



cockrells, and pullets ; or as full growTi fowls 

 when they arrive at the age of five to six 

 months, according to the state of their growth : 

 this, however, depends much on the suffi- 

 ciency and nature of the food on which they 

 have been fed, and the care with which they 

 have been treated. As young fowls do not 

 moult in the year in which they are hatched, 

 they will generally be ready at that period 

 either for being fatted off before Christmas, 

 or, if they be hatched late or there be a second 

 brood, in the early part of the following spring, 

 at which time they fat much better than in 

 the autumn. The better way is, however, first 

 to fatten the cocks, and retain the pullets to 

 give eggs during the winter ; after which they 

 may be fattened when the store hens of last 

 year's growth are beginning to lay : in both 

 which cases, any of the following modes of 

 feeding may be safely adopted. 



Mr. Elliot, farm bailiff" of Earl Spencer, 

 states, by the direction of his Lordship, " that 

 the method of fattening fowls for the family 

 at Althorp is, to shred mutton-suet very fine, 

 mix it with milk and sugar, and with this mix 



M 



