336 Food. 



from the fiekl, was clean threshed by four potatoe-fed Horses, none 

 of which turned a hair, although they worked for two whole hours^ in 

 the sig-htof many intelligent persons, who particularly asked how they 

 were fed, and had immediate occular demonstration afforded to them. 



Within a few days of this transaction, by the carelessness of the 

 proper attendant, the copper bottom of my boiler was burnt. Of 

 necessity we came to raw potatoes, and in three dai/s, the fine con- 

 dition and spirit of the animals vanished. In great haste I bought the 

 best oats and hay that could be procured, but they did not recover 

 their condition or strength during the whole season; for when 

 the boiler was repaired, although potatoes were again administered, 

 and every indication was present of a speedy recovery, a new 

 disaster befel me, by which I lost my whole stock of potatoes. In a 

 flood of water occasioned by the melting of the snow, rather 

 suddenly, a dam was discovered in the main Sewer, where a 

 neighbour had mended his fence, and this penned the water back, 

 which penetrated my heaps of potatoes and destroyed them. — No 

 quantity of corn and hay however liberally given, procured condition 

 during the remainder of the season, but the Horses performed their 

 work very well, and you know I never spared them."' 



These facts constitute proof of a positive kind, respecting the 

 great superiority of cooked, over raw potatoes; for though some- 

 thing must, no doubt, be placed to the account of the preference 

 which the Horses gave to the cooked potatoes, after they had been 

 long accustomed to this food, and though an allowance must also be 

 made for the stomach having, in some degree, lost the powers it 

 would otherwise have been enabled to exert over the potatoes 

 in a raw state, yet these two material considerations, (and material 



