178 INDIAN CORN. 



In a theoretical view it would appear that those 

 who advocate the shortest cutting have taken the true 

 rational ground. It seems to be the plain dictate of 

 reason, and the obvious suggestion of common sense, 

 that any mechanical process by which the food of do- 

 mestic animals is effectually subdivided and pulverized 

 before entering the stomach, must have a tendency to 

 render digestion more easy, more certain, and more 

 thorough, and that so far as this is accomplished the 

 nutritive effect of the food is in the same degree in- 

 creased. 



The very teeth that nature has planted in the 

 mouth of every animal, stationed as they are, like so 

 many sentinels, in the entrance-porch of the stomach 

 to guard against the intrusion of unprepared food, by 

 arresting and crushing all that passes in, clearly indi- 

 cate that pulverization is an indispensable process, 

 and a necessary prelude to digestion. 



ISTow, if it could be shown that the teeth alone, and 

 unassisted, are always competent to this end, that they 

 invariably and perfectly perform their office, never 

 failing to reduce and grind thoroughly and rapidly 

 every kind of food presented, there might then be 

 some reason for doubting the necessity of cutting corn- 

 fodder or any other provender before feeding. But it 

 is a well-ascertained fact that the teeth are not perfect 

 and infallible in their action that the food of cattle, 

 as well as the food of mankind, is very often imper- 

 fectly and insufficiently masticated. And for this 

 there are several reasons. 



It frequently happens that the impatient appetite 



