SC - Sweets to the sweet, have some fruitcake...

[Bonne of Traquair]

Stefan li Rous said:
>
>Ras gave some evidence of food, most likely grain given to chickens:
>
> > 5) 'One such picture is in the Vienna Tacuin Sanitatis (AKA 'Four 
>seasons of
> > the House of Cerruti', mentioned a few digests ago) under the heading
> > "Galli" (cocks), where hens are also treated. The picture shows a woman
> > with a basket feeding the hens with something I could not identify. The
> > text is somewhat more explicit: "To prefer: young ones (i.e. hens) that
> > are being fed with good grain".'
> >
> > The text here definitely states that not only was grain being fed to the
> > poultry but that this grain was 'GOOD' grain. Since the translation 
>specifies
> > young 'hens' (which I assume is a feminine word form in the original
> > language), this shows us that not only capons were fattened on 
>supplemental
> > feeding but also that immature poultry were also fed with good grain. It 
>is
> > not to much of a step to conclude that poultry of every age received at 
>least
> > some form of supplemental feeding and that the form of the supplement 
>was
> > most likely grain.
>
>This is the strongest referance. Again, it would appear to apply only to
>those on the way to the dinner table. I think to jump from that to
>"poultry of every age" is a big step though. As you and others have
>pointed out "grain" can cover a number of different plant seeds. It
>would be nice to know which ones. While I was at first thinking "wheat"
>when grain was mentioned, it could be seeds less desired for human
>consumption and more bountiful such as perhaps barley? or oats? I do
>know that wheat does not grow everywhere in Europe well and in some
>areas was more precious than in others.

The evidence I supply, is to be found in Gervase Markham's "The English 
Housewife" of 1615.  OOP by the strictest standard. According to the edition 
edited by Michael Best, Markham wrote six books on husbandry, including 
"Cheape and Good Husbandry" and "The English Husbandman". Markham and Mary 
had spent from 1601-1610 as husbandman and housewife.

- - - -

Chapter VIII

6 [for poultry]  Now for all manner of poultry, as cocks, capons, chickens 
of great size, turkeys, geese, ducks, swans and such like, there is no food 
feedeth them better than oats, and if it be the young breed of any of those 
kinds, even from the first hatching or disclosing, till they be able to 
shift for themselves, there is no food better whatsoever than oatmeal grits, 
(6) or fine oatmeal, either simple of itself, or else mixed with milk, drink 
or else new made urine.

(6) Oats husked but not ground or rolled

- - - -

Yes, urine. I first transcribed wine, but upon proofreading, made the 
correction.

Bonne
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