310 Pood. 



daily, a certain number of these animals, and making strong broths 

 of the flesh, which might be appropriated to the sustenance of the 

 others. At first it might be necessary to drench them, but, eventu* 

 ally, I imagine, they might be brought to take the broth voluntarily, 

 if it were mixed with a small quantity of the vegetable food which 

 they had been in the habit of eating. During winter, too, every particle 

 of the dead animal, might be converted into nutriment for the living; 

 inasmuch as no putrefaction would take place in the animal fibre so 

 long as the thermometer should continue to stand as low, as the 

 freezing point. 



These remarks, which some may be inclined to think superfluous, 

 win, I trust, render what follows, both more intelligible and inte- 

 resting to a certain class of my readers. An investigation, however, 

 of the various articles which contribute to the sustenance of Horses, 

 €ven in these Islands, to say nothing of other parts of the world, 

 opens a field of such immense latitude, as well to the natural Philoso- 

 pher as to the practical agriculturist, that were I to attempt to discuss 

 the subject on this comprehensive plan, it would not only carry me 

 very wide of my original design, but would be the means of involving 

 me in the disquisition of matter, much more curious than useful. 

 . I propose, therefore, to confine myself to a consideration of such 

 as are more commonly in use at home, and to begin with what may 

 be cafled the Staple articles of Horse provender, namely hay and 

 corn. And I do so, chiefly because it is pretty well known and admit- 

 ted, that when these are of good quality, nothing further is necessary 

 in the way of food, in order to preserve the health of the animal, 

 and to enable l^im to support the severest labour. 



