Mi; A 



MEA 



ing seed which has been produced on 

 other ground ; for the ripening of the 

 seed tends to exhaust the soil. If the 

 grass be cut bel'orc the flower is fa- 

 ded, the roots will soon spread, and 

 produce a new and improved sward. 



" It must be observed that it is not 

 indifferent what cattle are turned 

 into the meadow after hay-making. 

 Horses invariably produce coarse 

 weeds by their dung and urine ; cows 

 may be depastured in autumn, as long 

 as the surface is dry ; but sheep are 

 far more advantageous, and may be 

 kept in the meadows at all times, if 

 they are not too wet for the health 

 of the sheep, and if there is no dan- 

 ger of their having the rot. As soon 

 as the surface becomes soft by the 

 autumnal rains, all heavy cattle 

 should be excluded : every tread of 

 a horse or cow at this time destroys 

 a portion of good grass, and makes a 

 hollow, in which the water remains, 

 killing the finer grasses, and produ- 

 cing rushes and aquatic plants. 



" The meadows which are to be 

 mown should be shut up early in 

 spring, and those which are soft and 

 wet should have nothing larger than 

 a sheep in them from November till af- 

 ter hay-making time the next year." 



MEADOW FOXTAIL. Alopecu- 

 rus pratensis. See Grasses. 



MEADOW GRASSES. See 

 Grasses. 



MEADOW SAFFRON. See Col- 

 chicvm. 



MEAL. The flour of corn, oats, 

 pease, &c. A meal of milk means 

 the quantity obtamed at a milking. 



MEASLES. A skin disease of 

 hogs. See Hag, Diseases of. 



MEASURES. See Weights and 

 fc Measures. 



MEASURING CHAIN. A chain 

 of 100 links, or 22 yards, used in sur- 

 veying ; the link is 792 inches. 



MEAT. "1. Selection of Cattle and 

 Beef. — In the selection of cattle to be 

 sent alive to market, they should in- 

 variably possess fine symmetry and 

 small bone, carrying the greatest 

 weight of beef on the most valuable 

 points, such as rumps, loins, and 

 crops ; the back well covered, the 

 4SS 



buttocks and flanks well filled up, and 

 the whole carcass exhibiting a ful- 

 ness of flesh, excepting the necks and 

 coarser parts. They should handle 

 hard and firm, in order to stand well 

 the voyage, and handle and look well 

 in the market. Firm handlers, wheth- 

 er heifers or oxen, always cut well 

 up. An ox or heifer of these proper- 

 ties, weighing 80 stones (stone of 8 

 lbs.), will actually realize more money 

 than a coarse ox or heifer weighing 

 100 stones. Heavy cattle, however, 

 do not take readily in market, unless 

 they are remarkably handsome ; nor 

 do very light cattle, under 40 stones, 

 for two or three months in summer, 

 unless they are really neatly shaped, 

 and thick on the backs and best 

 points. 



" The meat intended to be sent to 

 the carcass market should be taken 

 from such cattle as we have descri- 

 bed. It is not large quantities of 

 lean and fat that are wanted there, 

 but both well mixed. Ox and heifer 

 beef of equal quality command the 

 same prices. Rumps, loins, crops, 

 and other fine parts fitted for roast- 

 ing and steaks, are more in demand 

 than the boiling pieces, and realize 

 comparatively higher prices. 



" 2. Selection of Sheep and Mutton. 

 — Ripe, compact sheep, of light 

 weights, carrying a large proportion 

 of lean on the back, loins, and shoul- 

 der, with a full, round leg, and hand- 

 some carcass, are admirably suited 

 for market. Such, from 14 lbs. to 20 

 lbs. per quarter, will take readily ; 

 but they are most valuable from 16 

 lbs. to 18 lbs. The nearer the form 

 and quality approach those of South 

 Downs, the more likely are they to 

 command the top prices ; for the 

 Downs have long been unrivalled fa- 

 vourites. Pure bred Leicesters are 

 too fat, unless they are sent young, 

 and do not exceed 20 lbs per quar- 

 ter ; when above that weight, they 

 fetch inferior prices. 



"The carcasses of mutton to be 

 sent to market should, of course, be 

 those of sheep such as are here rec- 

 ommended to be sent alive. Large 

 quantities of fat are not so desirable 



