510 
THE SALE OF HORSE-FLESH AS FOOD FOR THE PEOPLE. 
Our readers are well aware that great efforts have of late 
been made to introduce a new article of diet into France, 
namely, horseflesh ; and that principally through the exertions 
of M. Renault, Director of the Alfort Veterinary School, these 
attempts have been attended with so much success that 
numerous families are said now to obtain a daily supply of meat, 
which were before unable to procure any kind of animal food. 
In our late continental tour, when in the town of Altona 
(Holstein), we passed by the shop of one of these horse- 
butchers, and saw exposed for sale part of the hind quarters, 
and sundry pieces of flesh of a horse, and also the liver and 
kidneys of the animal. We were tempted to walk in, when 
we were informed by the proprietor that there were four 
other establishments of the same kind in the town, but that 
his was te the original one.” He said that so ready a sale 
was found for the meat that it was with great difficulty he 
could procure horses enough for his customers. The price 
ranged from about 2 cl. to 3d. per lb. English money, and it 
appeared that the meat was often bought by persons who 
could not be properly said to belong to the lower classes. 
We were invited to see the establishment, and visited the 
slaughter-house and stable. In the former, besides more 
meat, was hanging the lower part of the fore leg and 
foot of the animal last slaughtered, which had been put aside 
for the^inspection of the police ; and in the latter were 
standing two aged and worn-out horses waiting their turn 
to be led to the stake. These butcheries are licensed by 
the government, and are under the supervision of the police. 
Notice has to be given before a horse can be killed, when 
the department veterinary surgeon attends and examines the 
animal, and if found to be free from constitutional disease, 
notwithstanding it may be incapacitated for work from lame- 
ness or other defects, he certifies to that effect, and for the 
sake of identity brands the animal on its hoof. Within a 
given time the animal must be killed, and its leg and foot 
produced for the inspection and satisfaction of the police. 
VALUE OF ITALIAN RYE GRASS IN SUPPLYING A SUCCES- 
SION OF GREEN FODDER. 
Mr. W. Dickinson, in his excellent pamphlet on 
Italian rye-grass, says that — “ when I have kept the plant 
