98 ON WETHERS. 



full profit from his pasture, by purchasing every year, 

 wethers of an age best suited to the quality of the soil, 

 for which he intends them. The produce of the 

 fleece is obtained, together with the profit, which is 

 made by selling them higher at the end of the year, 

 than their first cost, on account of the growth they 

 have obtained in the time. 



Q, When are wethers found to be fat in a flock ? 



A. In examining the flocks in autumn, there are of- 

 ten found fat wethers, without having taken measures 

 to fat them. Although they may not have as much 

 tallow as those, which have been forced by food, they 

 are to be preferred, their tallow being firmer, and their 

 flesh more healthy : it is good health that makes them 

 fatter than the rest of the flock. If they are not kill- 

 ed, they will lose their flesh in winter, and recover it 

 the year following. It is not like the fat of sheep 

 forced by food, which is a disease of which the ani- 

 mal will die, if not timely sent to the butcher. 



Q. What is proper to be done to fat wethers ? 



A. There are three methods of fatting them : one 

 is, by pasturing them in good feed ; this is called 

 grass fatting : the second is to give them good food 

 at the rack and in the troughs, which is called dry 

 fatting, from the fodder by which it is produced : the 

 third, is to put the wethers to herbage in autumn, and 

 afterwards to stall feeding, (a 1'engrais de pouture.) 



Q. How much time is required to fat wethers by 

 grass ? 



A. That depends upon the quantity and quality of 

 the grasses : when they are good, wethers may be 



