122 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



has never bred previously, so as to make as sure of the fact as you 

 can. Let her temper be good, yet filled with nervous suscepti- 

 bility, and her health perfect, then will she impart strength and 

 size to the embryo while she carries it, and it depends entirely 

 upon her for nutriment while it lies in the uterus, and is attached 

 to it. Previous to that contact it is supplied from the yolk of the 

 ovum the same as the fowl before hatching. Therefore, it will be 

 seen how necessary it is that the dam be in perfect health, and 

 that all the secretions be perfect and the absorbents and canals 

 which convey the secretions, which are to supply life and charac- 

 teristics, be perfect. 



I had occasion some years since, to dissect the well known mare 

 "L'Esperance," formerly owned in New Orleans. After a sick, 

 ness brought on by calculus in the bladder, or formation of stone, 

 this increased very rapidly after the first month of pregnancy. 

 The dissection took place after the 6th month of pregnancy. The 

 embryo was perfectly formed to the eye, for the time. And the 

 attachments of the uterus and placenta were perfect so far as 

 I could judge. Yet on account of the want of the proper supply 

 of nutriment the embryo was not larger than a cat. This was an 

 extreme case, but it served, with many other cases from other 

 causes, to convince me that it was highly necessary to keep the 

 dam in perfect health. 



Do not fear to use good feed after six months from the time of 

 stinting Oats, good hay and oat meal, and gentle exercise, out 

 of excitement, yet in company so as to be cheerful and contented. 

 And as soon as the foal is dropped and the attendant inflammation 

 is reduced let liberal feed be given, changing occasionally so that 

 appetite shall be kept up. Old oats, oat meal or bruised oats, are 

 preferable as a standard food {barley never) with good grass from 

 old high land pastures. Sweet feed if possible, and avoid the 

 luxuriant feed of manured fields. 



When the colt is weaned, or before, if he will eat them, let him 

 eat all the oats he will and not get too fat. This seldom occurs, 

 never in my experience. 



This is the practice of the best breeders in this and other coun. 

 tries. In a letter received not long since from one of- the best 

 breeders of horses in Kentucky, he urged me to spare no efforts in 

 good care and feed of the dam three months before foaling and of 

 both afterwards. This point is understood by the Arabs, who 

 give the best of the family supplies to the foal mare. And in this 



