1803. Oh fcr nations onfrojlcd Oats^ 'ijc, 57 



ported bj pradicc) is, that even when oats are damaged by froft, 

 fo as to be unfit for any purpofe, they can, by means of certain 

 fimple correctives, be rendered good and wholefome food for 

 horfes. 



Tlie farmer, above alluded to, has been long in the practice of 

 feeding horfes with frolhed oats ; which, without having their bad 

 qualities correfted, are always found extremely prejudicial to the 

 health of that valuable animal. His method of doing this is, to 

 boil one firlot of oats with half a pound of common fait, and four 

 ounces of faltpetre, or any quantity with the fame proportion. 

 This elTe^lually reftores their nutritive qualities, and renders them 

 perte6tly fit for every purpofe in the way of feeding any animal. 

 By this excellent method, a confiderable quantity of oats, which 

 were otherwife completely ufek-fs, are brought in to ferve a moll 

 elTential and valuable purpofe, and thereby increafe, in no inccn- 

 (iderable degree, the food of the poor. 



That the above fads might be fully eflablidied, to the fatisfac- 

 tion of all concerned, they have only to afcertain them by experi- 

 ments ; and, indeed, who can be blamed for difcrediting fuch an 

 apparent abfurdity, that, to fecure vegetables from frofl, it is ne- 

 cefiary to plant them on the top of a hill ? Or, that oats damaged 

 by froft, can by any means be reflored to a wholefome and found 

 condition, and rendered fit for the food of animals ? The opera- 

 tions of nature, however feemingly inconliftent with one another, 

 are all connected with fixed caufes, which are more or lefs difficult 

 to explore. Indeed, there are mylleries in nature which philofo- 

 phy cannot elucidate, and feemijig contradictions which reafon 

 cannot obviate ; but the elTential part of the above lies within 

 reach of every capacity ; for attention and obfervation are the 

 means of difcovering their truth. 



Concerning the origin of potatoe-oats, my correfpondent fays^ 

 they are native feeds of South America, imported a few years ago 

 into this country, by a pcrfon with whom he is well acquainteii. 

 This perfon, it feems, had curiofity fufficient to induce him to re- 

 queft of his fon (I think it was) to hand him occa'Tonally any plant 

 or feed which might be confidered any way fingular in its pro- 

 perties : Accordingly, in one package, confifting of potatoes, &:c. 

 was a fm.all parcel of thefe Americaii oats, about as many as might 

 fill an ordinary fnuff-box. From this fmall original importation, 

 and from the circumftance of their having been in 2. potaioe pack- 

 age, fpruni:! the oats which now ,0 under that nan^e. lie thinks 

 they are already very much mixed or degenerate, and promifes to 

 prefent, in Haddington market, a few bolls of the genuine ones, fron^ 

 the county into which they were firft brou2ht. It is his opinicn. 



