comes from it perfectly insipid and colourless. After this preparation, the fat is to be melted by a gentle heat, with a small quantity of water, till the latter be evaporated; it is then to be strained off into an earthen vessel where it will settle, and be preserved from the air. When thus purified, fat is almost totally divested of taste, and smell.
With regard to the properties of fat, and marrow, when used as food, they produce a solid and nourishing juice, increase the blood and fluids in general; but are difficult to be dissolved, and apt to become rancid on the stomach of many persons, whose digestive powers are weak, and who are not accustomed to take much exercise. Hence, if fat be not duly assimilated to the fluids, it impairs the stomach and bowels, occasions diarrhœas, heart-burns, head-achs, and spasms, especially in those whose habits are easily irritated.
Fat-hen. See Wild Orache.
Fatness. See Corpulency.
Fattening of Animals. See Bullock and Cattle.
FATTENING of Colours, is a term employed by painters, and signifies a coagulation of the oil, which is occasioned by mixing it with several kinds of pigments: hence, when it has been kept for a considerable time, it becomes so viscid and glutinous, as to be wholly incapable of being worked, either with the brush or pencil. In this state, a due proportion of fresh oil should be added.
Colours will also fatten, after they have been laid on the proper ground; so that one part of the oil will run off in small streams or drops, while the other adheres to the canvas with the colours, but without drying.—This defect, we conceive, may be remedied by evaporating the watery parts of the oil, and grinding the colours more carefully, so as to prevent their precipitation.
Oils will likewise fatten, when they have been too long kept, or exposed to the sun and air.
Fea-berry. See Rough Gooseberry.
FEATHER, a general name, expressing the covering and wings of birds, by which they are enabled to fly.
The feathers chiefly used in this country, are those of geese, from which animals they are plucked three, four, and even five times in the course of one year: thus, in cold seasons, many of these birds fall victims to that barbarous custom.—The feathers obtained from the county of Somerset are esteemed to be the best, as those brought from Ireland are reputed to be the worst.
Great quantities of goose and other feathers are annually imported from the North of Europe; which, however, are insufficient for the demand: hence poulterers dispose of vast numbers of the feathers of cocks and hens, and also of ducks and turkies; all of which are much inferior to those of geese.
The best method of curing feathers is, to expose them to the sun in a room; and as soon as they are thoroughly dry, to put them loosely in bags, in which they should be well beaten, in order to cleanse them from all dust and filth.
Feathers are chiefly used for the stuffing of beds, which are certainly less wholesome than wool or horse-hair mattresses, and tend greatly to relax and enervate the human body. Within the last two or three years, they have been manufactured into hats; a mode of
