244 
PHILOSOPHY OF EATING. 
are very heavy shearers. These sheep were 
shipped from Bremen, in the steamer Herman. 
Not being able to obtain so many as I wanted 
in Silesia, I returned again to France, and pur¬ 
chased a few more of the French sheep, mak¬ 
ing in all, 114 including the Germans. In se¬ 
lecting the French sheep, I did not choose the 
largest-sized, coarse-woolled ones, but rather 
those short-legged, thick-set, fine and thick- 
woolled, with a good deal of crimp, that gives the 
fleece a beautiful appearance. At shearing 
time, I intend to weigh the sheep and fleeces both 
of the French and Germans, in order to ob¬ 
tain the relative value of each breed. 
I was very much disappointed in not finding 
more good sheep in Europe. Nearly all the 
flocks were inferior to those of this country. 
I am satisfied that we have, at the present time, 
more good sheep in the United States, than can 
be found in the old country, and that, in the 
course Cf a few years, we shall far outstrip them, 
as every one knows that the Americans are 
bound to go ahead. George Campbell. 
Westminster West , Vt., June , 1851. 
PHILOSOPHY OP EATING. 
Use but two or three kinds of food besides 
bread and butter, at a single meal, and never 
eat anything between meals. You should eat 
at regular hours, and but three times a-day, with 
two intervals of not less than five hours each, 
nor more than six. 
Cold water retards digestion, and so does any 
liquid, if much is taken during or soon after a 
meal; half a glass at a meal is enough. From 
an hour and a half after a meal, until within 
half an hour of the next one, you may drink as 
much water as you desire ; it is best, however* 
to drink but a swallow or two at a time, with 
an interval of half a minute or more; other¬ 
wise, you may take more than nature requires 
before you know it, just as in eating fast. If 
too much fluid is taken during meals, it di¬ 
lutes the gastric juice, thus weakening its pow¬ 
ers of digestion, and retaining the food longer 
in the stomach than is natural; it also causes 
an acid stomach, heartburn, fullness, belchings, 
and bad blood, producing, according to circum¬ 
stances, a dryness, or rawness, or a sensation in 
the throat, like indigestion from other causes, 
whether from quality or quantity of food. 
All errors as to diet arise from quantity or 
quality, and I propose one safe rule to each, 
applicable to all persons, and under all circum¬ 
stances. 
As to quality, the general rule is to eat that 
which you like best, and which you find by 
close observation and experience is followed 
by no uncomfortable feeling about the head, 
hands, feet, nor stomach. 
As to quantity, take as much at one meal as 
will allow you to become decidedly hungry by 
the next meal; this can only be determined by 
consecutive observations; but remember, never 
swallow an atom of food unless you are hungry; 
never force a particle of food on yourself; the 
brute creation cannot be induced to eat nor drink, 
if slightly ill or excited, guided only by their 
poor blind instincts ; and we, who are as much 
higher than they, by the reason that is within 
us, ought to feel ashamed to act less wisely; 
and yet, nine tenths of all our ailments, acute 
and chronic, enter here; and nine tenths of them 
all might be cured thus, if taken in reasonable 
time, and if properly persevered in. 
The finer all food is cut with a knife, before 
put into the mouth, the sooner and easier it is 
digested, on the same principle that a large 
piece of ice placed in a vessel set in water will 
require a longer time to melt, than if it were 
first divided into many small pieces. The gas¬ 
tric juice dissolves solid food from without in¬ 
wards ; hence food, especially all kinds of meat, 
should be cut up in pieces, not larger than a 
pea, before it is placed in the mouth, taking in 
as many pieces at a time as is convenient. This 
precaution would not be needed were persons 
to eat slowly, and masticate their food properly; 
but our national habits are otherwise, nor is there 
much hope of a speedy change in this respect. 
For an hour after dinner, and half the time 
for other meals, do not lie down, do not sit to 
sew, nor maintain any stooping position ; do not 
ride on horseback, nor study, strain, lift, nor per¬ 
form any labor, bodily nor mental; a leisure 
stroll in the open air is best; or reading a news¬ 
paper ; these require no mental effort. While- 
walking, keep your hand behind you, and your 
chin on or above a horizontal line, and en¬ 
deavor to feel in a good and cheerful humor 
with yourself and all the world.— Dr. Hall. 
Amount of Foreign Flax Consumed in the 
London Trade.— It is asserted that a sum a lit¬ 
tle short of £6,000,000 is annually expended in 
the purchase of foreign flax. The yearly con¬ 
sumption of this material for the London trade 
is computed at 120,000 tons. If this were grown 
at home, it would occupy 400,000 statute acres ; 
the value of the crop would be £6,500,000, and 
that of the seed £1,400,000, making a total of 
nearly £8,000,000 .—Journal of Agriculture. 
