In selecting _Veal_, take that which is firm and dry, and the joints stiff, having the lean a delicate red, the kidney covered with fat, and the fat very white. If you buy the head, see that the eyes are plump and lively, and not dull and sunk in the head. If you buy the legs, get those which are not skinned, as the skin is good for jelly or soup. [Illustration: Fig. 3. MUTTON. 1. The _shoulder_; for boiling or corning. 2, 2. The _neck_ and _rack_; for boiling or corning. 3. The _loin_; is roasted, or broiled as chops. 4. The _leg_; is boiled, or broiled, or stuffed and roasted. Many salt and smoke the leg, and call it smoked venison. 5. The _breast_; for boiling or corning.] In choosing _Mutton_, take that which is bright red and close-grained, with firm and white fat. The meat should feel tender and springy on pressure. Notice the vein on the neck of the fore-quarter, which should be a fine blue. [Illustration: Fig. 4. PORK. 1. The _leg_, or _ham_; used for smoking. 2. The _hind loin_. 3. The _fore loin_. 4. The _spare-rib_; for roasting; sometimes including all the ribs. 5. The _hand_, or _shoulder_; sometimes smoked, and sometimes corned and boiled. 6. The _belly_, or _spring_, for corning or salting down. The _feet_ are used for jelly, head-cheese, and souse.] In selecting _Pork_, if young, the lean can easily be broken when pinched, and the skin can be indented by nipping with the fingers. The fat also will be white and soft. _Thin_ rind is best. In selecting _Hams_, run a knife along the bone, and if it comes out clean, the ham is good; but if it comes out smeared, it is spoiled. Good bacon has white fat, and the lean adheres closely to the bone. If the bacon has yellow streaks, it is rusty, and not fit to use. * * * * * In selecting _Poultry_, choose those that are full grown, but not old. When young and fresh-killed, the skin is thin and tender, the joints not very stiff, and the eyes full and bright. The breast-bone shows the age, as it easily yields to pressure if young, and is tough when old. If young, you can with a pin easily tear the skin. A goose, when old, has red and hairy legs; but when young, they are yellow, and have few hairs. The pin-feathers are the roots of feathers, which break off and remain in the skin, and always indicate a _young_ bird. When very neatly dressed, they are pulled out. Poultry and birds ought to be killed by having the head cut off, and then hung up by the legs to bleed freely. This makes the flesh white and more healthful. * * * * *