The lean of the finest ox-beef, if of a proper age, has a fine smooth grain, it is of a bright or carnation red, feels tender, and appears to be marled or intermixed with fat. The fat parts are firm, of a cream colour, and rather white than yellow. This latter distinction is of importance, because, if the beef be old, the fat will be yellow and skinny; and if the ox has been unnaturally fed, or in a confined place, and particularly if it has been fed with oil-cake, it will be very yellow, soft, flabby, and greasy. On the other hand, if the beef be too young, the fat will be white, almost like mutton fat, and the lean will be of a pale colour. The grain of _cow-beef_ is closer than that of the ox, and the lean is of a darker red. _Heifer-beef_ has all the appearances and qualities of good ox-beef, except that the grain of the lean is of a finer texture. _Bull-beef_ is coarser and redder than any other, the fat hard and skinny, and it has a strong, rank smell. _The_ JOINTS OF BEEF, _according to the London method of cutting_. [Illustration: _The Hind Quarter._ 1 Sirloin 2 Rump 3 Edge-bone 4 Buttock 5 Mouse-buttock 6 Veiny-piece 7 Thick-flank 8 Thin-flank 9 Leg 10 Fore-ribs _The Fore Quarter._ 11 Middle-ribs 12 Chuck-ribs 13 Leg-of-mutton-piece 14 Brisket or Breast-cut 15 Clod 16 Neck or sticking-piece 17 Shin 18 Cheek A Baron of beef is the two sirloins cut together.] The best joints are the sirloin, rump, edge-bone, buttock, and the five or six fore-ribs; and the thin-flank, the sticking-piece, the leg, shin, and cheek, are the worst. VEAL. _Instructions for choosing it._ Veal is _best_ and _cheapest_ from _March_ to _July_. Veal ought to be fine in the grain, firm, white, and fat. The leg bone should be small. If fresh, the eyes will be full and bright, the flesh not clammy but dry, and the large vein of the shoulder of a bright red. The kidney taints soonest, and if that be sweet, and neither soft nor slimy, the whole calf is fresh. On the contrary, if any part of the flesh be green or yellow, or feels flabby, it is stale. The fillet of a cow-calf is preferable on account of the udder, but the meat of the bull-calf is generally firmest, whitest, and best, when dressed. The finest calves have the smallest kidneys. THE JOINTS OF VEAL. [Illustration: _Hind-Quarter._ 1 Loin, best end 2 Loin, chump-end 3 Fillet 4 Hind-knuckle _Fore-Quarter._ 5 Fore-knuckle 6 Neck, best end 7 Neck, scrag end 8 Blade-bone 9 Breast, best end 10 Breast, brisket end] A shoulder is the fore-knuckle and blade-bone together; and a leg is the fillet and hind-knuckle together. The best end of the loin, the fillet, and the best end of the breast, are the choicest pieces: the knuckle, and scrag end of the neck, are the worst. MUTTON.