Food. 329 



o^ sifip\y\n»; coction to the food of labourinj^ ^nimais^ ik fodndoc|:i 

 For, thou ii^ii the f^round of . this writer's opinion is admirably adapted 

 to. the popular tone, and seemingly very specious, yet, it certainly? 

 will not stand the test of strict scrutiny. For raay not all. the a^g'd^ 

 ment> (if any thin^ like arg'ument can be said to be conveyed in it,) 

 be reduced into the compass of the following question ? viz. whether 

 any man would think of drawing an inference from the facts Which 

 he had observed as to the nutritious property of certain articles of 

 food, when used for the purpose of fattening" cattle for sale, and of 

 applying these facts to the case of such Horses as undergo severe 

 work ? to which I answer, in the most unequivocal and decided 

 manner, yes, certainly. And for this plain reason, because no sab- 

 statace can fatten an animal, which has not strongly nutritive powers, 

 and if it has been found that certain articles, fatten animals faster, ft>r 

 being subjected to the culinary process, it follows (a fortiori,) (Imt 

 animals which labour, will he equally benefited by the use of sudi 

 food, although it certainly does not follow that some modi|icalion 

 with regard to quantity, mode, and periods of administering it,'' iwdy; 

 not be both necessary and proper. " ';; nn: -j', ojifi h.Iln-; ,l'>j;;n'' •:(? 

 For, in addition to the powerful- reasons already adduced, for 

 feeding working Horses on cooked provender, may be mentioned 

 another, which Mr. Curwen has very properly laid groat stress upon, 

 namely, the time gained in eating food of this description, which ol 

 course allows of so much more, for rest. A Horse will consume 

 near' six- hours, in eating a stone of Hay, whereas he will 

 dsit a stone of steamed potatoes in twenty minutes^ :Tiiis is un- 

 doubtedly a weighty consideration in the argument, but this is not 

 all, for cooked provender is not only more readily and speedily acted 



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