No. 199.] 465 



theon, where are exhibited to the admiration of the public the pro- 

 ducts of genius and labor. But where are the conservatories for that 

 greatest of all arts, agriculture 1 



On the excessive fattening of cattle. — At this time, it is the fattest 

 animal which is most esteemed and pays the best. The butchers 

 doubtless push on this exaggerated fattening of the ox. The compe- 

 tition now is for it, for the premiums are all given for animals most 

 perfectly fatted. It is not possible to produce this excessive fat by 

 any amount of feeding on pastures or hay. They give to the ox the 

 food of the man besides ; they feed him with buckwheat and the 

 other grains. Mr. Cornet's fat ox which obtained all the honors of 

 fat Tuesday^ came from the richest pastures of Normandy, and per- 

 haps of all France. However he had cost a great many bags of grain, 

 of which wheat often formed a part. No ! the best feed of the finest 

 meadows in the open air, cannot fatten the ox to that degree requir- 

 ed by the butchers and the competitors. To attain the desired fat, 

 they shut up the ox in a stable and give him a different feed from 

 that which is natural to him, the grain raised for man. How, then, 

 shall agriculture make such efforts with difficulty to feed the people, 

 while great quantities of grain are expended to raise some fat ? I do 

 not know where this luxury of the table of our animals is to stop. 



Chocolate is a food most completely suited to fatten cattle, far more 

 so than grain. I have no doubt that the breeders, competitors in fat 

 cattle, will soon have their chocolate manufactories, in order to fatten 

 their animals excessively. In fact, to feed cattle on the food of man, 

 is to reverse the laws which ought to govern both the agriculture and 

 the public economy of any people who wish their own extension and 

 preservation. 



To obtain from the natural meadow, in the shortest time po'ssible, 

 tne largest amount of the most nutricious meat, is on^of finest prob 

 lems which social economy can study. 



Why shut the animal in a stable deprived of light and open air, 

 and so produce in him the disease called obesity— fat 1 Compare the 

 flesh of poultry brought up in a free condition, with that of those 



I Assembly, No. 199. | 30 



