JOG tice Stock. 



1. Animals intended for the butcher, should be kept in 

 a state of regular improvement. The finer breeds are high- 

 ly fed from their birth, and are almost always fat ( I3<y ). With 

 other breeds, and on pastures of inferior quality, this is nei- 

 ther necessary nor practicable. But in every case, the same 

 principle of improvement should be adhered to, and such 

 animals ought never to be allowed to lose flesh, in the hopes 

 of afterwards restoring it by better feeding, nor removed to 

 pastures inferior to that on which they have been usually 

 kept. 



2. The size should never be above that which the pastures 

 can support in a thriving condition ; nor can any thing be 

 more injudicious, than to endeavour to increase the size of 

 stock by crossing, without improving their pasture. The 

 stock of every kind, and of all the various breeds, should, 

 in respect of size, be proportioned to the quantity and the 

 quality of their intended food ( l37 ). 



3. The best pasture should be allotted to that portion of 

 the stock which goes first to market ; the next in quality, to 

 the breeders ; and the less valuable pasture, to the inferior 

 or growing stock, without however suffering it to be over- 

 stocked. This division is highly advantageous. One hun- 

 dred acres under this plan, would feed more than 120 pro- 

 miscuously pastured. 



4. Great care should be taken, not to overstock pasture, 

 a practice which is attended with great loss to the farmer, 

 and the community. This ought to be particularly avoid- 

 ed in regard to young and growing animals. If they are 

 kept poor during one part of the year, they will scarcely 

 thrive during the remainder; and when ill fed, will never 

 attain their proper size and proportion ; at the same time 

 young stock, (their powers of digestion being stronger), may 

 be fed on coarser and more succulent food, than those which 

 are more advanced, and of age capable of being fattened. 



5. The kind of food given to animals, should be suited to 

 their ages. In the habit of very young animals, there abounds, 

 and seems necessary for their welfare, a great proportion of 

 fluid; and therefore more succulent food may be preferable 

 for them ; but when they are more advanced and vigorous, 

 the digestive powers being stronger, and time being requi- 

 site for the process of growth, provision less immediately 

 nutritious, or of a coarser quality, may suffice. A dry kind 

 of food would appear to agree better with all animals in win- 

 ter, when the perspiration is less, than in summer, during 

 which season, moister provision would seem to be more 



