102 ON WETHERS. 



Q. How do they fatten wethers with cabbages ? 



A. Wethers are put into fields of cabbages, de 

 choux cavaliers, or de choux firises^ from the month 

 of October to February : cabbages fatten sheep soon- 

 er than grass, but they give a rancid taste to the flesh ; 

 and when wethers eat old cabbages, their breath has 

 a bad smell, which is perceived as soon as you draw 

 near the flock. To prevent cabbages from inflating 

 the sheep, and giving bad taste to the flesh, a sweeter 

 food should be given them in their troughs, such as 

 oats, peas, barky flour, 8tc. 



Q. By what signs is it known, when a wether is fat ? 



A. It is proper to feel of the tail, which sometimes 

 becomes as thick as the wrist, and also on the shoul- 

 ders and chest ; if the fat is there felt, it is a sign that 

 the wethers are very fat. After having sheared them, 

 the fat on the back appears in little bladders, like 

 foam : it is a mark of good fatting, which commonly 

 happens, when they have eaten turnips. 



Q. Can fat wethers live for a long time ? 



A. Sheep which have been fatted on herbage, or 

 stall fed, will not live more than three months, if they 

 should not be sent to the butcher : the water, which 

 contributes to the fatting, will give them the rot. 



Q. At what age is it proper to fat wethers ? 



A. If fat, tender and well flavoured mutton be de- 

 sired, it is proper to stall feed wethers at two or three 

 years old. Two year old wethers have a small car- 

 cass and but little tallow : at four years old, they are 

 thicker, and become much fatter, but their flesh is not 

 so tender : at five years, their flesh is hard and dry : 

 if, however, the profit of their fleeces and dung is 



