n BREEDING. 



it is by no means the purpose to lead our 

 readers through a dull and tedious labyrinth 

 of perplexities, v/ithouta ghmmering of either 

 jitififi/ or htformation, we shall endeavour to 

 ascertain the preference without animadvert- 

 ing upon the judgment and opinion of others, 

 wisliing, upon the basis of truth and con- 

 sistency, only to establish the criterion of our 

 ovv^n. 



It has been generally said of Oats (al- 

 though the universally established food for 

 horses) that they are dangerous to foals at 

 the time of weaning, under an idea of the 

 optic nerves being so violently affected by the 

 strength required in mastication, as to occa-^ 

 sion future disease, debilitation, and some- 

 times loss of the eyes : as this is, however, 

 a matter that never can be reduced to cer- 

 tainty, but must always remain dependent 

 upon conjecture, without even the possibility 

 of proof, it may be perfectly applicable to 

 the disposition of those who entertain doubts', 

 to adopt the alternative of feeding with the 

 grain or grits only first divested of the hulls, 

 as in the shell ox husk such difficulty must be 

 resident, and not in the meal. 



