MAY. 263 



There are several systems in fattening : to buy 

 in beasts in October or November, and put them 

 to straw till the end of February ; then to begin 

 their fatting on turnips, and continue it in March ; 

 thence to the middle of May on other food, and 

 then to turn to grass, and kill in August or Sep- 

 tember. Another scheme is, to buy in smaller beasts 

 in May lean, and sell them fat from the grass in 

 the October and November following. Where win- 

 ter food is raised with spirit, and the farmer takes 

 a proper care to provide great plenty of litter to turn 

 into dung, the first method is much the most pro- 

 fitable ; but, where either of these requisites are 

 wanting, the latter is preferable. 



A third system is, to buy at that period which 

 will, according to the size of the cattle, admit 

 their being ready for market in April and May, 

 when meat is generally sure of a good price ; one 

 winter not highly fed : a summer's grass, and a 

 second winter driven on by the best feeding. This 

 for large oxen ; if smaller, to be bought in in 

 spring, and have only a summer's grass and a win- 

 ter's stalling. 



CAKE AND CORN-FED BEASTS. 

 Oar young farmer, if he has any cake or corn-fed 

 beasts, not fat enough to go off the end of April, 

 or the beginning of May, is under no necessity of 

 parting with them, as they do very well on good 

 grass though taken from oil-cake : I have known, 

 in Lincolnshire, cake in a moderate allowance to be 



s 4 given 



