oxen, Mr. Bakewell asserts, that the smaller the bones, the more perfect will be the make of the beast, and the quicker it will fatten. The breed preferred, and considered by him as the best in England, is that of Lancashire. The shape which should be the criterion of a cow or bull, an ox, or a sheep, is that of a hogshead, or a firkin, with legs as small and short as possible. He found from various experiments in different parts of the kingdom, that no land is too bad for a good breed of cattle, and particularly of sheep. The great advantage arising from his breed is, that the same quantity of food will suffice them, much longer than it will any other kind; besides which, the wool is of the finest quality, and the sheep stand the fold perfectly well.
The wintering of cattle, also received particular attention from this professional breeder: his horned beasts were tied up during the winter, in sheds, and fed with straw, turnips, or hay; all the lean beasts were fed with straw alone, and lay without litter. Young cattle, that require to be kept in a thriving state, are fed upon turnips; and as the spring advances, and this vegetable becomes scarce, hay is their only food.
The floors, on which the cattle stand, are paved, and raised six or eight inches above the level of the yard; and each crib being only broad enough for a beast to stand on, its dung falls on the lower pavement; by which contrivance it is kept perfectly clean without litter.
Breeding of Fish. The necessary qualities of a pond for breeding fish, are very different from those which are requisite to make it serve for their nourishment. A good breeding pond is more rare to be met with than a good feeding one. The best indications of the former, are plenty of rushes and grass about its sides, with gravelly shoals like those of horse-ponds. The quantity of the spawn of hsh is prodigious; and where it succeeds, one fish may sometimes produce millions. Hence two or three melters, and as many spawners, placed in such a pond, will, in a short time, stock a whole country. If it be not intended to keep these ponds entirely for breeding, but to let the fish grow to a considerable size, their numbers should be thinned, or they will otherwise starve each other. Different kinds of fish may also be added, which will prey upon the young, and prevent their increasing in number. For this purpose, eels and perch are most useful, because they not only feed upon the spawn itself, but also upon the young fry. Some fish will breed abundantly in all kinds of waters; of this nature are the roach, pike, perch, &c.
Breeding, Good; an expression which is used to denote the proper deportment of persons in the external offices and decorum of social intercourse.
Good breeding necessarily implies civility; though a person, without being well bred, may be civil: the one is the result of good-nature; the other, of good sense joined to experience, observation, and attention.
The most perfect degree of good breeding is only to be acquired by great knowledge of the world, and keeping the best company. To attain this desirable object, we would advise parents not to suffer their children, after a certain age, to
