70 Cramming. 



mixed with milk, and occasionally with a little dripping,' is 

 good fattening food. Milk is most excellent for all young 

 poultry. A little chopped green food should be given 

 daily, to keep their bowels in a proper state. 



The feeding-troughs, which must be kept clean by 

 frequent scouring, should be placed before the fowls at 

 regular times, and when they have eaten sufficient it 

 is best to remove them, and place a little gravel within 

 reach to assist digestion. Each fowl should have as much 

 food as it will eat at one time, but none should be left to 

 become sour. A little barley may, however, be scattered 

 within their reach. A good supply of clean water must be 

 always within their reach. If a bird appears to be troubled 

 with vermin, some powdered sulphur, well rubbed into the 

 roots of the feathers, will give immediate relief. The 

 coops should be thoroughly lime-washed after the fowls 

 are removed, and well dried before fresh birds are put up 

 in them. 



It is a common practice to fatten poultry in coops by a 

 process called " cramming/' by which they are loaded with 

 greasy fat in a very short time. But it is evident that 

 such overtaxing of the fowls' digestive powers, want of 

 exercise and fresh air, confinement in a small space, and 

 partial deprivation of light, without which nothing living, 

 either animal or vegetable, can flourish, cannot produce 

 healthy or wholesome flesh. " Indeed," as Mowbray ob- 

 serves, " it seems contrary to reason, that fowls fed upon 

 such greasy, impure mixtures can possibly produce flesh 

 or fat so firm, delicate, high-flavoured, or nourishing, 

 as those fattened upon more simple and substantial food ; 

 as for example, meal and milk, and perhaps either treacle 

 or sugar. With respect to grease of any kind, its chief 

 effect must be to render the flesh loose and of a coarse 

 flavour. Neither can any advantage be gained, except 

 perhaps a commercial one, by very quick feeding ; for 

 real excellence cannot be obtained but by waiting nature's 

 time, and using the best food. Besides all this, I have 

 been very unsuccessful in my few attempts to fatten fowls 

 by cramming ; they seem to loathe the crams, to pine, and 



