VIII.] AND HUSKING. 



143. But, thirclhj, they are beaten by steam or 

 water power into fine chaff. / never saw this 

 done, but I have heard of it frequently, and I 

 have several times seen the chaff, which is called 

 COBB-CHAFF, and which must be excellent, as it 

 has served for the bed in which the grains grew, 

 and as it consists, indeed, partly of little shells 

 left in the sockets by the grain. If corn be 

 given to oxen or cows in the ear, which is gene- 

 rally the case, when they are fatting, the neat 

 cattle do not take the grains oif the ear, but take 

 the ear into the mouth, and grind grain, cobb^ 

 and all. If you give the ears to a horse, he bites 

 off the grain with his fore teeth, and, unless hard 

 pressed, leaves the cobb. The sheep does the 

 same -, the same does the hog : but poultry can- 

 not manage the thing without having the grain 

 taken off for them. 



144. Admire, now, you that can admire any 

 thing, the ingenuity of the Yankees, in order to 

 save their own bones from labour. Suppose a 

 farmer to have some oxen to fat, some hogs, 

 some sheep, turkeys, geese, ducks, and fowls. 

 He goes twice a-day to his corn crib; and at 

 once, twice, or whatever is necessary, carries out 

 a parcel of ears upon his shoulder, to a piece of 

 pasture land, or into an orchard as near as pos- 

 sible to the farm-house, and there, leaning the 

 basket on one side upcn his shoulder, he walks 



