616. Lamb is a delicate and commonly considered tender meat, but those who talk of tender lamb, while they are thinking of the age of the animal forget that even a chicken must be kept a proper time after it has been killed, or it will be tough picking. Woeful experience has warned us to beware of accepting an invitation to dinner on Easter Sunday; and unless commanded by a thorough-bred gourmand, our incisors, molars, and principal viscera, have protested against the imprudence of encountering young tough, stringy mutton under the misnomer of grass-lamb. To the usual accompaniments of roasted meat, green mint sauce or a salad is commonly added; and some cooks, about five minutes before it is done, sprinkle it with a little minced parsley.

617. Grass-Lamb is in season from June to September.

618. House-Lamb from Christmas to April.

619. When green mint cannot be got, mint vinegar is an acceptible sub-8titute for it.

620. Hind-quarter of eight pounds will take from an hour and three-quarters to two hours; baste and froth it.

621. Fore-quarter of ten pounds, about two hours.

522. It is a pretty general cusTOM, when you take off' the shoulder from the ribs, to squeeze a Seville orange over them, and sprinkle them with a little pepper and salt.

623. Leg of five pounds, from an hour to an hour and a-half.

624. Shoulder, with a quick fire, an hour.

625. Ribs, about an hour to an hour and a quarter; joint it nicely; crack the ribs across, and bend them up to make it easy to carve.

626. Loin, an hour and a-quarter. Neck, an hour. Breast, three-quarters of an hour.