38 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



intestine of the horse is developed out of all proportion to 

 the small ; the colon, or head of it, being capable of holding 

 four gallons of fluid. The stomach is comparatively small, 

 as has been stated. The horse, as we know, will drink large 

 quantities of water. This does not all remain in the stomach, 

 but passes through the intestine into the colon : and here is 

 the practical point; if water is given immediately or soon 

 after feeding, the food, and especially grain, is carried with 

 it, and out of the stomach, and beyond the point where it 

 can be properly digested, and is voided with the excrement, 

 the animal gaining but little benefit from it. 



The simple form of digestion also takes place in swine ; 

 but in cattle, sheep, and ruminants generally, it is quite 

 different. And here we see the wisdom of adapting them to 

 their original position on the earth : for, having many ene- 

 mies and but little means of defence, they must needs be 

 expeditious in gathering their food ; hence the large paunch 

 was given them in which to store it, and also the power of 

 returning it to the mouth for remastication, — " chewing the 

 cud," as it is called. 



The only process that takes place in the paunch is that 

 of softening the food ; it generally remaining from sixteen 

 to eighteen hours before it is returned to the mouth, never 

 less than fourteen, and sometimes thirty. When sufficiently 

 softened, it passes into the second stomach, or reticulum, 

 whose principal duty seems to be to roll the food into small 

 balls, moistening it with water, and returning it to the mouth. 

 Here it is remasticated, and some saliva added. When again 

 swallowed, it does not go to the first or second stomach, but 

 to the third, where it is more thoroughly macerated, or soft- 

 ened, and prepared for the true digestion, which takes place 

 when it has slowly found its way into the fourth stomach, 

 where the gastric fluid only is produced. 



A fact should be mentioned here which has an important 

 bearing upon the administration of medicine to ruminants. 

 The oesophagus does not terminate in the first stomacli, as in 

 animals having a simple one, but is capable of being ex- 

 tended through the whole series. The food, whether solid 

 or liquid, may sometimes (at the will of the animal, or under 

 peculiar constitutional conditions) pass into the third or 

 fourth stomach without a particle of it entering the first or 



