The husbandman, farmer and grasier's compleat instructor. Containing choice and approved rules, and directions for breeding, feeding, chusing, buying, selling, well ordering and fatning bulls, cows, calves, rams, ews, lambs, swine, goats, asses, mules, &c. : How to know the several diseases incident to them, by their signs and symptoms, with proper remedies to cure them; : as likewise all griefs, and sorrances what-ever. : Also, a treatise of dogs, and conies, in their breeding, ordering, and curing the distempers they are subject to. : To which is added, The experienced vermine-killer, in particular directions, for taking and destroying all sorts of vermine in houses, out-houses, fields, garden, graneries, and other places. / By A.S. Gent.

G••neral Rules for-chusing, buying, feeding, and speedy satning of Cattle, &c.

For b••ying Draught Oxen, or chusing them from among any Herd, the best time is held to be in Mar••h, when, being b••re, they cannot easily hide their Faults, by the fraud of the S••ller; nor, by reason of their weakness, be to stubborn to be handled: It is most convenient to buy them as near a•• may be to the place you in••end to Pasture them in, or b••ing them up, that finding little or no difference, they may equally th••ive; and if you find not a conveniency for this, consider the Country where you buy them, to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 near as may be, of an equal like temper to that whether you are to carry them; which will not only be a means for their thriving, but very much to preven•• Sickness.

Consider again, that they are not dreading of Water, or ••ridges they pass over; that they take their feed freely,

and are not over nice or dainty in it, and not such as you design for the Plough or Team, be tractable to the Goad, that by their insensible dullness, they become not tiresome and vexatious to the Driver. The best breaking time is, from Three till Five; for before, they are too young; and after, to Restiff and headstrong; so that without great trou∣ble, if at all, they will not become tractable: To hearten them the better, you may give them, when such things are in season, Lupius steeped in Water, Radishes, Wheat, Rapes, &c. by which means they will grow, in a manner, insensib∣ly fat and lusty, even where Grass is not over plenty. N••w Grains is a great feeder; and some Cummin-Seed scat∣tered amongst it, prevents any Cold, Watery Diseases in Winter; and when you change their green Pasture into dry Fodder, as the necessity of the Season requires, sharpen their Appetites, by choping Colwort-leaves small, steeping them in Vinegar Four or Five hours, and putting them into a Mash of Wheat-bran, which will make them feed the bet∣ter; and having once well taken to their dry food, grow fat upon it.

Browsings of Oak Shrubs or Sprays, are very wholsome to cleanse their Blood, and make them hold out the better in sharp Weather, and in very cold Weather let their Morning Water be warmed; and this, particularly for Cows, helps their fruitfulness; and, if they are in Hilly or Wooddy ground, where they may bruize on, and feed a∣mong pleasant Shrubs, they will be sooner fatter then Oxen or Bullocks, but not so in low grounds, or Meddow Pa∣stures; and though these Cattle seem to covet drinking where the Water is muddyed or discoloured by Land-Floods ar•• sudden Rains, yet it is not near so proper for their health as clear Springs; it likewise makes them give more and better Milk, sweater and pleasanter to the Taste.