The Code of Health and Longevity

ON ATHLET I C EXERC I SES . I 5 I litated by being fuffered to run among the penns, and their mufcles are not firm. The firft week I fed them upon barley, though that is accounted a fcouring food, but it anfwered beft at the firft period of their confine­ ment. I fed them three times a day by meafure. I cannot now afcertain the quantity, giving them very little water each time ; and once a day, or once in two days, took them out to fpar, or fight a few ftrokes with one another, with their fpurs muffled. The fecond week, and during moft of the remainder of their confinement, I fed them on pure wheat, according to the fame meafure, having always regard to the ftate and regularity of their bowels, and giving a little barley, if they appeared co- flive. During the laft three or four days I gave them white bread, according to the fame meafurc, though I do not think bread was any better than wheat •, and fomc that I fed entirely onwheat, after the firft week, feemed to do quite as well as thofe which had bread. This was the whole of the procefs which 1 employed. I could always tell, by the firmnefs of the flcfh upon the breaft, whether my cocks were in order. I found them by far the ftrongeft, without dimliiifliing their activity, when they were plump^owt firm,without fat; and I que- flion but they would have eaten as fine, and had nearly a? much firm mufcular flefh as a fowl from a London poulterer's. With this mode of management, my cocks were four cut of five at leaft fuccefsful. 3d. The training of the cocks, in the manner I have defcribed, produces only a temporary effedl; nor does it in the leaft feem to fhorten their lives. I have known them live and fight at ten years old •, whereas the poul­ try in my yard at prefent feldom reach that period. 4th. I have heard of faffron and other drugs being gi­ ven to cocks ; but mine,which were plainly fed, always ^ 4 beat