130 AGRICULTURE. 



ments seems more particularly to belong to those 

 who, other circumstances being favourable, are re- 

 mote from markets ; the second to those who, from 

 local situation or navigable streams, are convenient 

 to markets. In the breeding business two condi- 

 tions are indispensable to its success: 1st, that the 

 sires of each species be well chosen, because their 

 qualities and appearance have much more influence 

 on the character of the offspring than those of the 

 females ; and, 2d, that, during pregnancy, the fe- 

 males be abundantly fed, and otherwise subjected 

 to no hard or injurious treatment.* 



2d. Of the fattening of Cattle. 



The objects in fattening cattle are two, the increase 

 of tallow, which is an important article in domestic 

 economy ; and the improvement of the fleshy or mus- 

 cular parts ; the lean meat of fat animals being better 

 flavoured and more nutritive than that of poor ones. 

 The means of effecting this object are either living 

 vegetables, or those which have been cut, dried, 

 and stored for use. Under the first head are the 

 whole family of the grasses, and under the second, 

 grains, roots, pease, and beans. When we resort to 

 the first, the only care necessary is, that the provis- 

 ion of plants be both abundant and nutritive. Up- 

 land pastures, where they unite these conditions, 

 best fulfil this intention ; but the fat of cattle thus 

 fed, though better distributed (the effect, as we be- 

 lieve, of exercise), is less in quantity, and of an in- 

 ferior quality. The second mode, which is called 

 stall-feeding, is more difficult and expensive, and re- 

 quires great attention to the repose of the animal, 

 to his cleanliness, and to the caprices of his appe- 

 tite. In England, where this business is most prac- 

 tised and best understood, they envelop the head of 



* The inhabitants of the Boullonois, in France, employ the 

 mare instead of the horse for all agricultural purposes ; because, 

 besides labouring the soil, they give yearly a foal, which they 

 sell at eight months to the graziers at Normandy. 



