3.32 Food. 



But, of all our esculents, 1 think it can admit of no doubt 

 tiiat the potatoe, when cooked, is the most preeminently useful 

 and economical, as food for Horses, as well as other cattle. And 

 Mr. Curwen, whose practical work I have alluded to, has cer- 

 tainly done an essential piece of service to the commmiity, by the 

 satisfactory and convincing* proofs which he has afforded of the hic^hly 

 nutritious property of this root as a substitute for hay, for working- 

 Horses. From a correspondence which I have had with this gentleman, 

 1 find that the experience of every successive year, does but confirm 

 him in the conviction of the policy and economy of feeding- his 

 working Horses, upon steamed potatoes. 



In a letter which I received from this indefatigable experiment- 

 alist, dated December 22nd, 1811, he says, ^'l can confirm after great 

 and most extensive practice every thing I have formerly advanced 

 with respect to feeding Horses with potatoes. I have found it expe- 

 dient to add a little more straw, with a view to rendering the food 

 less costly. A decisive distinction should be made between cut straw 

 and chaffjOr the husk of the grain The latter is perfectly indigestiiile 

 and dangerous. I strongly suspect I have lost Horses, formerly, by its 

 being used contrary to my orders. The practice of ])otaloc feeding 

 has been adopted by several gentlemen, upon a large scale, all of 

 ^vhom concur in declaring, that the opposition to relinquishing this 

 mode of feeding, would now be as great, as it was to its adoption. 

 1 fed my Horses 'till July this year, my stock was so great. I have 

 found steamed straw very good food, when I could do no 

 better. You will observe that the method I practice, is that of 

 boiling by steam. I feed eighty head of cattle, forty milch cows. 



