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.

The Age of Goats, and many other things observable in the•• as to their Knowledge, Housing, &c.

The Age of these Creatures are to be taken notice of by the Circles of their Horns, from their first growing till eight years, and then they are altogether past their best, and not worth buying, unless for their Skins, and Hair. The Females of those that are wanting of Horns, and called Pollards, give the best and sweetest Milk, of

which some make good Butter and Cheese, especially if mingled with Ews and Cows Milk; it gives it •• pleasure ••ast••, and occasions it to keep longer than any other; and many are of Opinion, they see as well by Night as Day: They always in their Lyings down, lay their Faces one from the other, and in that manner feed; to be more watchful against Danger, which way soever it may be likely to assail them by the means of Wolves, Dogs, or other Ravenous Creatures; and if abroad, they sence the young ones in the midst of them, that they may be able to defind them, unless they be unruly and break out, for which they are often chastised by their Dams.

••his is a very sensible Creature, and cautions of Dan∣ger; for Nutianus reports, he once saw a couple of them accidentally meet on a Bridge very narrow, and long, over a rapid Stream, which, by reason of the straightness would not suffer them to return; then to go backward, as it were, blindfold, seemed more hazardous; whe••e upon, one of them lay leisurely down, and suffered the other to go over him; yet in Rockey and Mountainous pla••es they will climb and run up Cliffs pr••digiously, esp••cially in the Mountainous parts of Wal••s, where many of them are wild, and hunted by the ••entry there, as their chief Recreation; and in common Inns you may see them run on the Ridges of Houses, like a Cat, yee the•••• d••ead to take the Water, and will not, unless very much forced to it by Frights.

Extream Heat more than extream Cold aff••icts them, because they are hot by Nature, especially those with young; and therefore in such times in Sum••rer, Heat drives them to Shades. Let them brouse in Copses, ••or under Hedges, and they will by that means grow sat; and in the Cold, House them, at least those that are with ••oung, and most tender; feed them with Oats, Pease, and Wheat-Ea••s. It is better, if you have a Conveniency, to keep then in sundry little Flocks, than altogether, for Healths sake.