TENDENCY TO ACQUIRE FAT. 



97 



never possesses the value in a' culinary point of view, 

 that is yielded to such as has been slowly formed, when, 

 as one may say, the worthless particles have had time 

 to be removed, and the remaining part to become a 

 firm and healthy deposit. It is partly owing to this, 

 that animals are never at their best when forced to 

 take on fat at an early age, but are most esteemed by 

 the gourmand when they, as in the case of the sheep, 

 have lived from three to four years. 



(83.) Tendency to acquire Fat. — A disposition to 

 early obesity, as well as a tendency to that form which 

 indicates a propensity to fatten, is materially promoted 

 by a good supply of rich food, while the animal is in a 

 growing state. The Spanish shepherds are so well 

 aware of this, that half of the lambs are annually killed, 

 that the survivors may obtain every indulgence in the 

 way of milk. Care should be taken never to place 

 animals suddenly on food much superior in feeding 

 qualities to what they have left. Very lean sheep are 

 never put to full turnips in winter, nor to rich pastures 

 in summer, but are prepared for turnips on good 

 grass lands, and kept on second years' leys, and after 

 wards given a moderate allowance of turnips if they 

 are to be fatted on pastures. It is an invariable rule 

 with all good managers, never to allow this or any 

 other animal, reared solely for the shambles, to losa 

 flesh from its earliest age till it is sent to the butcher 

 as more food is necessary to bring it to a certain con- 

 dition than to keep it at it. In the case of the Dish- 

 leys, it is castomary to .keep all in a state of fatness, 

 except those intended for breeding, and after full feed- 

 ing on turnips during winter and spring, to finish them 



