The Sun. — 1863-07-04 (London, England)

POST.—Much of the happiness of human life depends upon the right management of apparently small matters, and the fate of kingdoms has before now been decided by the state of the gastric juice of distinguished personages. Undoubtedly the comforts of home in every station of life are greatly enhanced by wholesome food and good cookery. The ancients elevated the art of preparing food into a profession, and even at the present day among ourselves a French cook skilled in the culinary department commands a better income than many a junior barrister or tutor. The Great Duke is said to have greatly disconcerted a Parisian chef whom he had taken into his service by declaring his utter indifference as to what he ate. Yet, notwithstanding the Spartan simplicity which characterised the habits of that great man, there can be no doubt that, as a French philospher once remarked, food being a necessary of human life, it may as well be made palatable as not. According to all reliable accounts, the Greeks and Romans had a greater variety of edible dishes and more elaborate modes of preparing them than we now possess. Apicius spent two millions and a half on the pleasures of the 'table, and then committed suicide because the remnant of his fortune would not enable him to continue his former extravagance_ Roman epicures could fatten up snails with paste to such a degree that the shells of some of them would contain many quarts. The livers of geese unnaturally distended by artificial means, young hawks, asses, and portions of animals that would now never be thought of as articles of food, were in those days converted into dainties by the superior skill of the cook. Many animals and fishes like the porpoise were then highly esteemed, and altogether it may be safely affirmed that the civilised nations of antiquity had more elaborate modes of preparing their food, and a greater variety of it, than now exist. Whether this state of things arises from a change in the public taste with regard to articles fit for sustaining life, or to the decline of the culinary art, we are not prepared to state. We know, indeed, that the humbler classes in our seaport towns have strong prejudices against eating fish ; the inhabitants of Ireland of every degree have a positive aversion to young rooks and sucking pig, while the English gipsy will enjoy a hedgehog roasted in a ball of clay ; but notwithstanding these circumstances, the fact cannot be denied that the great masses of the inhabitants of the British Isles are sadly deficient in varieties of food, and in economical and wholesome modes of preparing it. Any plans, then, of a practical nature which may be suggested for remedying these deficiencies are surely worthy of public attention and support. The Acclimatisation Society, whose annual dinner took place the other day, proposes to domesticate in this country all birds, fishes, and vegetables which may be proved on trial to be useful additions to the already existing articles of human food; and their efforts so far have been attended with considerable success, as their last report and increasing subscriptions abundantly testify. We have little doubt that the introduction of the Chinese sheep into this country will ultimately prove a decided success in every point of view, possessing as it does a flavour superior even to that of Welsh, Highland, or Portland mutton, and being twice as prolific as any breed of sheep in thin country. Most people know the enormous waste which ensues on cooking a joint of Cotswold mutton, or one from the gross Lincolnshire animal ; but if the Ong-Ti breed of Chinese sheep can be successfully reared in this country, or crossed with some of our heavier animals, a more delicate flavour will be imparted to our mutton, and twice the number of animals kept on the same ground than are now to be found. As to the introduction of new sorts of fish into this country, little seems to have been done. As yet only efforts are being made to secure either the ova or living specimens of the Murray cod, the mountain mullet of Jamaica, and the lucio perca, all which are highly spoken of; but we venture to suggest that when they arrive they shall be placed in private waters, as it is just possible, from our imperfect knowledge of their habits and modes of life, they might, if put into any of our salmon, trout, or grayling streams, seriously injure, if not ultimately destroy, some of our best native breeds. Attention also is being directed to the further distribution of grayling, charr, and crayfish among our rivers and lakes in which they are not now to be found ; and it is rather a remarkable fact that there is not a grayling in any Irish river, nor, until their recent introduction to the Clyde, in any Scotch stream. There are to our certain knowledge many waters in both the sister kingdoms eminently suited to the habits of this beautiful fish, and we trust to hear soon that some of the Irish rivers have been stocked with it. As to the crayfish, we advise the proprietors of all trout and salmon rivers to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with its habits and modes of life, and especially to ascertain whether it has not a fondness for the spawn of other fish, or before they ran any risks in placing it in rivers where it may possibly do an infinite amount of mischief ; and if once put -into a stream it is very difficult to get rid of it. The cultivation of the Chinese yam seems on the whole, notwithstanding conflicting accounts by those who have grown it, to have been attended with satisfactory results, and in France it is highly esteemed and extensively planted. There is little doubt that when thoroughly acclimatised it may improve both in flavour and substance; and as the potato is still liable to disease, perhaps from the use of artificial manures or over-cultivation, this Eastern root 'may on trial be found to be a good substitute. Lady Dorothy Nevill has been eminently successful in the management of the Ailanthus silkworm ; and this branch of industry, it is thought, might be profitably pursued in this country, and prove a great boon to eottagers and others. Altogether the efforts of the Acclimatisation Society have been attended with considerable success. Their sphere of operations and their subscriptions increase every year; and as their objects are the introduction of new articles of food and fresh branches of industry, they cannot fail to secure the sympathies and support of all persons interested in the welfare of the nation.