FATTING. 147 



as a truth, that it stimulates the stomach, — corrects 

 putrefying and unwholesome nutriment, — promotes 

 tardy digestion, — increases the nutritive powers of 

 those vegetable substances to which it is united, — and 

 furnishes a natural remedy for the deranged functions 

 of the stomach in particular, and through the sympathetic 

 medium of that organ, for the atony of remote parts in 

 general."* All, indeed, concur in setting a high value 

 on this constituent of plants — all, with the exception ot 

 those whose interests are most deeply concerned in a 

 knowledge of its importance. Farmers, in general, cannot 

 perceive the utility of attending to concerns apparently 

 so trifling, though in the right conduct of these they 

 depend materially for success. Nay, I have known 

 men arguing, that in six weeks they have given ordin- 

 ary' sheep an excellent coating of fat, by keeping them 

 on turnips only ; though, on strict inquiry being made 

 into the nature of the field in which they had been 

 penned, it has always turned out that the sheep had 

 access to other things, their owners having wilfully 

 shut their eyes to the true circumstances of the case. 

 Depend on it, no sheep will continue in health during 

 six weeks on turnips alone, much less will it continue 

 throughout that time to take on fat. Much of the 

 mischief attending a want of bitter matter is obviated 

 by the plan of allowing the sheep corn, salt, oilcake, 

 and hay, which, serve, especially the last, as tolerable 

 substitutes for it. Good hay ought always to be plen- 

 tifully supplied to sheep on turnips, as, from the variety 

 oi the plants composing it, it contains much that is not 



k 



* Paris's Pharmacologia, vol. i. p. I*i6. 



