FOOD 349 



Maize has been accused of causing grease, but such an accusation is 

 entirely unsupported by facts, and it simply remains as a remnant of 

 the prejudice which attended the introduction of maize as a horse food 

 in this country. 



There has only been one objection of any weight made against its 

 use, which is that when maize is used alone, and more particularly new 

 maize, the fa3ces are less firm than normal, and possess a somewhat un- 

 pleasant smell; but when old corn is combined with beans and oats, or 

 barley, in due proportions, it gives admirable results, and the offensive 

 character of the faeces practically disappears. 



There are several varieties of maize in use, recognized by their colour, 

 as yellow and white, and by their shape, as flat corn, large round, and 

 small round, in addition to which each possesses a distinctive name, 

 according to the place from which it is obtained, such as States, Galatz, 

 La Plata, &c. 



In practice we find it is immaterial which is used, providing the 

 selected variety is old, sound, perfect corn, and so long as it has these 

 qualities price may with impunity control the selection. 



Wheat. — Owing to the low market price of wheat during the last 

 few years, many farmers have used it largely among the horse-corn. It 

 is undoubtedly a valuable food, but great care must be taken in using 

 it. The marked increase it undergoes in bulk, as a result of fermentation, 

 and the doughy character of the fermented mass, necessitates that only 

 a small allowance be given at one time. With the view of lessening 

 the danger of using it, many farmers damp the ground corn some time 

 before feeding with it, and claim that by so doing they materially 

 diminish the risk. When the price of wheat is relatively lower than 

 other grains, many will continue to use it, but whenever its price is on 

 a level with these, most will prefer the ordinary horse-corn. 



Beans. — The beans in common use are mostly English, Egyptian, 

 and Konigsberg. English are generally preferred, and usually command 

 a higher price, but both Konigsberg and Egyptians are very extensively 

 used, and so long as they are clean and dry it is very doubtful in practice 

 whether any difference can be recognized in their feeding value. Old 

 English beans are preferred to new, because they ai-e generally harder 

 and drier, but many people prefer new Egyptian to old, because they 

 are less damaged by weevils, and they are as hard as the old in con- 

 sec^uence of the washing and drying they undergo. Whatever kind is 

 used they should be thoroughly dry, sound, and clean. 



Beans are much too rich in nitx'Ogenous constituents to be used alone, 

 but they are most valuable in combination, and are the usual means 



Vol. ni. 88 



