228 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
justly taken as a criterion, or rule of estimation 
and judgment. 
The eye is able to form an opinion of the ex¬ 
terior conformation of an animal, and when 
aided by the touch, a judgment may be made 
of the quantity and quality of the flesh and fat 
which are provided on the parts fattened. But 
the inside furniture, or the fat that is secreted 
among the intestines, is placed beyond the reach 
either of the eye or the touch, and the estima¬ 
tion can only be formed by analogy. The nature 
of the individual constitution altogether rules 
the disposition to provide an internal furniture; 
for it has been often seen and sufficiently es¬ 
tablished, that animals of all breeds that exhibit 
great fattening points on the exterior do not 
prove so well as others that want these points, 
and that the most unseemly outsides very often 
afford the best inside furniture, both in quantity 
and quality. But it is a general assumption that 
a well fattened exterior will afford an inside of 
similar provisions, though no fixed rule can be 
laid down or established. A ratio somewhat 
inverse may be borne to each other by the out¬ 
side and interior accomplishments of the fattened 
condition, as the fattening and milking propen¬ 
sities are found to diverge, as one or the other 
predominates. Nature seems to be unable or 
unwilling to support both properties in the su¬ 
perlative degree. 
A fattened carcase having been ascertained to 
be in prime condition, curiosity is in«_ cd t 
know if possible the dead weight of the > 3 > 
while it yet lives, and to calculate the probable 
value from the current prices of the saleable 
meat. Two mechanical methods have been 
adopted to attain this object — by weighing the 
animal, making allowance for the offal, and by 
measurement. Though mathematical exactness 
never can attend either of these methods, yet 
with due estimation of the influential circum¬ 
stances, a means of assistance is afforded of ar¬ 
riving at the carcase weight, and consequently 
at the value of the animal, with sufficient ac¬ 
curacy for practical purposes. The most ap¬ 
proved conclusion states the live and dead 
weight to be as 9 to 5, or multiply the live 
weight by the decimal .605, and the result is 
the weight of the four quarters. The allowance 
for offal is very largely and variedly influenced 
by the breed of the animal, sex, age, and acci¬ 
dental circumstances. The above rule forms 
an average, and the annexed table exhibits the 
medium of offals in fat cattle : 
In general. 
In rare cases. 
Hide and Horns. 
lbs. 
112 to 126 lbs. 
Tallow. 
..42 to 140 
lbs. 
nearly to 280 lbs. 
Head and tongue. 
..28 to 49 
lbs. 
Kidneys... 
lbs. 
Back collop. 
lbs. 
Heart. 
lbs. 
Liver,lungs,and windpipe 21 to 28 
lbs. 
Stomach and entrails.. 
.140 to 196 
lbs. 
Blood. 
lbs. 
The animals of Britain may be classed in 
three divisions—Short-horn, Hereford, Sussex, 
and Devon; Long-horns, Galloways, Northern 
Scotch, Suffolk, and Welsh; West Highland 
cattle, Shetland and Orkney Islands. The per 
centage of beef to live weight may be thus 
given. 
Per cent, of beef to live weight. 
Class 1. Class 2. Class 3. 
Half fat.55 to 59 50 to 55 48 to 50 
Moderately fat.00 to 62 56 to 60 51 to 55 
Prime to very fat.. .63 to 66 61 to 63 56 to 60 
Extraordinarily fat. 67 to 70 64 to 66 61 to 66 
These figures apply to the ordinary fattened 
animals, in heifers and oxen. 
The most approved formula of ascertaining 
the weight by measurement, multiplies the 
square of the girth by the length, and that pro¬ 
duct by the decimals .24 or .25, for the weight 
of the four quarters in imperial stones. [As¬ 
suming the carcase to be a true cylinder, the 
area is found by multiplying the length by a 
sectional part of the figure, and here is the 
square of the girth multiplied by .07958 (the 
area of a circle whose circumference is unity) 
for the area of section, which, multiplied by the 
length, gives the solid contents of the cylinder. 
The difficulty remains in giving a certain weight 
to any given quantity of the cylinder. It has 
been assumed, probably from experiment, that 
every cubic foot of the cylinder will weigh about 
3 imperial stones. Now, .07958 multiplied by 
3, gives .238, or .24 as being more convenient 
for practice. Experiment has had a very large 
share in fixing such rules for practice. 
The following table of multipliers has been 
carefully compiled: 
Condition. First class. Second class. Third class. 
Fair beef. .23 .22 .22 
Moderately fat.24 .23 .23 
Prime fat.25 .24 .24 
Very fat.26 .25 .24 
Extraordinarily fat .27 .26 .25 
The decimals .26 and .25 may apply to the 
beasts of the forthcoming Christmas exhibition 
in London.]* 
The live weighing is quite preferable to the 
measuring process, in ascertaining the weight 
gained in any certain time. The tape line can 
be used at any time when the weighing machine 
is beyond reach, and for computing the quantity 
of beef, is preferable to the weighing alive 
though it is unable to determine the fattening 
that is gained within certain periods of time. 
Arbitrary assumption must not be allowed to 
have produced the rules that have been now 
given for judging live stock; they constitute the 
natural means that exist to enable some satis¬ 
factory conclusions on the subjects that have 
been treated. Much observation and practice 
are required in order to understand and apply 
the means of judging the different circumstances 
of the animal existence. All persons cannot 
perceive the tendency of these rules to lead to 
a correct judgment; long and careful observa¬ 
tion being requisite to convince the mind of their 
value in that respect. Tuition cannot do it, 
without practical experience ; the study of na¬ 
ture has furnished these rules for guidance, and 
as the laws of nature are general, these rules 
must be of universal application. The acquire¬ 
ment is generally sought of judging accurately 
of the quality and weight of live stock; every 
farmer is desirous to possess it, and every pupil 
in agriculture mostly appreciates it in the most 
enticing form. No breeder of animals can pos¬ 
sess a higher accomplishment, and the highest 
perfection of breeding is maintained by it. An 
extensive experience is essential to its acquire¬ 
ment; and even with that enjoyment, some 
persons never become good judges. An acute 
observation must cull from the lessons of ex¬ 
perience, and with much judgment and dis¬ 
crimination. These natural faculties are not 
gifted away with profusion, nor are the requisite 
trouble and perseverance bestowed to supply the 
wants. Most persons must be judges intuitively 
or not at all; hence the many expedients that 
have been adopted to acquire the knowledge and 
experience, the many tables from measurement, 
and rules from live weight. Good judges very 
rightly contemn these rules and tables, as they 
can ascertain the real weight of marketable flesh 
on any animal much more nearly by the eye 
than by any superficial rule, and the true qual¬ 
ity of it by the touch—a property which these 
tables can in no way convey. No surprise need 
be raised by the comparative superiority of the 
senses for this purpose, the depreciating and 
enhancing points of the carcase cannot be de¬ 
termined by artificial rules, and the tape and 
the steel-yard cannot be subtituted for the eye 
and the hand. If the bodies were true cylinders, 
and if the offals always bore a definite and inva¬ 
riable ratio to the four quarters of flesh, then 
the measurement might tell accurately ; but the 
various proportions that exist require the judg¬ 
ment to compare the value of the several dis¬ 
proportionate parts. It is nevertheless true, 
that the primest condition of animals, which 
* In the above paragraph the Stone weight is used. A 
stone is equal to 14 lbs. The above rule may be statod 
more simply as follows : Multiply the girth (in feet) by it¬ 
self, and multiply the product by the length. The number 
thus obtained if multiplied by 3 % will give the weight of the 
carcase in lbs.—E ds. 
approach the nearest to the mathematical, are 
approximated by rules, which are still inferior 
to a practically matured judgment. The rules, 
however excellent, require a correct application, 
the girth and length are to be nicety taken, as 
one inch will blunder more than the eye of the 
judge. The live weight depends on the fulness 
or emptiness‘of the carcase with food; and 
neither weighing nor measurement give any 
idea of the quality of the flesh, which rests on 
the eye and the hand to judge in this most es¬ 
sential particular .—Marie Lane Express. 
On the Embellishment of Dwelling Houses and 
their Enclosures. 
TnE majority of writers on rural improve¬ 
ments are Englishmen, and have written with 
reference to the wants of the wealthy alone. 
Their rules can only be carried into effect by 
men of vast pecuniary resources, and are almost 
without any use to those of moderate means. 
We have but few men of such wealth in this 
country, and it is not desirable that they should 
be greatly multiplied. When treating of the 
improvement of landscape, in this country, one 
should write for the masses, for men who are 
either poor or only moderately wealthy. It 
ought to be shown in what manner the most 
pleasing and desirable effects may be produced, 
by stating rules and principles which can be 
adopted and carried out by the poorest man in the 
country, who owns a house and an acre of land. 
Such rules would encourage the whole people to 
unite harmoniously in this great work, instead 
of leaving every place neglected that is not 
owned by one of the princes of the land. 
It is the object of my present essay to treat 
of the advantages of consulting picturesque ra¬ 
ther than beautiful effects, in the embellishment 
of our dwellings and their enclosures. Most 
writers, wdien considering the style and decora¬ 
tions of a dwelling, have reference only to abso¬ 
lute beauty, and picturesque effects have been 
almost entirely overlooked. They speak of har¬ 
mony, symmetry, proportions and colors, be¬ 
cause these are constituents of the beautiful; 
but that combination of simplicity, neatness, na¬ 
turalness, and certain other qualities, which, by 
suggesting agreeable thoughts or awakening 
pleasant emotions, constitute the picturesque, 
are either omitted or obtain but a few passing 
remarks. All this neglect arises from narrow 
and imperfect conceptions of the nature of these 
qualities as applied to improvements in land¬ 
scape and architecture. The difference between 
the beautiful and the picturesque is not cor¬ 
rectly understood by many professed writers on 
the subject. Even the late Mr. Downing over¬ 
looked the distinction ; and in the greater part 
of his writings he treats exclusively of the beau¬ 
tiful as applied to rural decorations. He has 
bestowed some few r remarks on expressions; 
but they are of such a character as to show r that 
he had not a full appreciation of the nature of 
these effects. 
It is remarkable, that variety, [which is one 
essential ingredient of the beauty of forms, is 
considered by Burke, and after him by Sir Uve- 
dalc Price, one of the qualities of the picturesque, 
as distinguished from the beautiful. Irregu¬ 
larity, rudeness and roughness are classed by 
them in the same category with variety. This 
is an error that greatly diminishes the value of 
the speculations on these subjects, which these 
two eminent authors have contributed to English 
literature. After Mr. Price, there are many who, 
following his authority, believe that nothing in¬ 
trinsically beautiful can likewise be picturesque, 
and confine this latter term to ugly objects 
which have the power of exciting certain pecu¬ 
liar emotions, such as a dilapidated house, or an 
old branchless trunk of a tree. I would suggest 
to these theorists, that the picturesque quality 
of such objects is not their ugliness, but the 
representation of something once beautiful, val¬ 
uable or magnificient, now ruined by the hand 
of time. The reason why an old building or an 
old tree is more picturesque than a new building 
