The London art of cookery, and housekeeper's complete assistant. On a new plan. Made plain and easy to the understanding of every housekeeper, cook, and servant, in the Kingdom ... : To which is added, an appendix ... Embellished with a head of the author, and a bill of fare for every month in the year / By John Farley.

  • Farley, John, active 18th century
Date:
1801
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The London art of cookery, and housekeeper's complete assistant. On a new plan. Made plain and easy to the understanding of every housekeeper, cook, and servant, in the Kingdom ... : To which is added, an appendix ... Embellished with a head of the author, and a bill of fare for every month in the year / By John Farley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ]f you feed your liens now and then with barley bruised, and with the toasts taken out of ale, they will lay often, and all the winter. To prevent your hens eating their own eggs, which they sometimes will, lay a piece of chalk cut like an egg, at which they will often be peeking, and thus finding themselves disappointed, they will not afterwards attempt it. When your hens be inclinable to set, which you will know by their clucking, do not disappoint them, nor put more than ten under each. As to the whimsical opinion, that a hen should always be set with an odd egg, such as nine, eleven, or thir- teen, is a matter of which we shall say nothing. March is reck- oned a good month to set hens in; but, if they be properly fed, they will lay many eggs, and set at any time. Ducks usually begin to lay in February; and if your gar- dener be diligent in picking up snails, grubs, caterpillars, worms, and other insects, and lay them in one place, it will make your ducks familiar, and is the best food, for change, you can give them. Parsley, sowed about the ponds or river they use, gives their flesh an agreeable taste ; and be always sure to have one certain place for them constantly to retire to at night. Partition off their nests, and make them as near the water as possible. Always feed them there, as it makes them love home, ducks being of a rambling nature. Their eggs should be taken away till they be inclined to set, and it is best for every duck, as well as every fowl, to sit upon her own eggs. The keeping of geese is attended with little trouble; but they spoil a deal of grass, no creature chusing to eat after them. When the goslings be hatched, let them be kept within doors, and lettuce leaves and peas boiled in milk are very good for them. When they be about to lay, drive them to their nests, and shut them up, and set every goose with its own eggs, always feeding them at one place, and at stated times. They will feed upon all sorts of grain and grass; and you may gather acorns, parboil them in ale, and it will fatten them surprisingly. Turkeys require more trouble to bring them up than com- mon poultry. The hen will lay till she be five years old. Be sure always-.to feed them near the place where you intend they should lay, and feed them four or five times each day, they being great devourers. While they be sitting they must have plenty of victuals before them, and also be kept warm. To fatten them, you must give them sodden barley and sod- den oats, for the first fortnight, and then cram them as you do capons. If you keep pigeons, which are generally hurtful to your neighbours, take care to feed them well, or you . will lose