244 AGRICULTURE, BOOK I. 



Many of the above hints will apply to cattle reared for the 

 butcher ; as a good-tempered well trained animal always feeds 

 best. Small bones are in general most favourable for fatten- 

 ing, and are produced by a practice contrary to the above, viz. 

 by feeding with rich food when young. Tameness and gentle- 

 ness of temper, which are produced by kind treatment, are 

 highly favourable to the same purpose*. 



The rearing of poultry, game, fish, rabbits, and bees, is 

 worthy of notice, and is useful in a country residence. Too 

 little attention is generally paid to nature in rearing game. 

 Pheasants or swans are not so easily reared under domestic 

 hens, as other birds are, such as the turkey, peacock, &c. 

 Much depends upon encouraging the former when allowed to go 

 wild, by giving them proper and abundant cover, and sowing 

 among it such herbs as they are particularly fond of ; some of 

 these are cresses, chervil, parsley, thyme, &c. which also tend 

 to encourage and domesticate hares. Abundance of fearless 

 game about a residence adds a peculiar nobleness and appear- 

 ance of liberty (so to speak) which few things else can com- 

 municate. 



The general management of fishf and bees J is commonly 



* See Messrs. Culley's excellent work on this subject. 



f See Bradley's Husbandry, and Marshall's Kitchen Garden. % Bonar on Bees. 



