Book IT. REARING, &c. DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 303 



' 2023. Interest is the grand mover of animals, as well as of man. In taming by fear, all the interest which 

 the animal has is the avoiding an evil ; in taming by caresses and food, it is the attainment of enjoyment. 

 The most extraordinary results are recorded as having been obtained by the mild mode with almost 

 every species of animal on which it has been tried : to this may be advantageously joined, in the more 

 powerful animals, hunger and fatigue. " The breeder Bakewell, surgeon Hunt informs us, at an advanced 

 period of life, not only conquered a vicious restive horse, but, without the assistance of either grooms or 

 jockies, taught this horse to obey his verbal orders with as great attention as the most accomplished ani- 

 mal that was ever educated at Astley's school. Bakewell was accustomed to say, that his horse could do 

 every thing but speak. The method which he took to conquer this vicious animal was never told, even to 

 his own domestics. Reordered his own saddle and bridle to be put on this horse, which at that time was 

 thought to be ungovernable, when he was prepared for a journey of two or three hundred miles ; and, 

 that no one might be witness to the contest, he led the horse till he was beyond the reach of observation ; 

 how far he walked, or in what manner this great business was accomplished, was never known ; but, 

 when he returned from his journey, the horse was as gentle as a lamb, and would obey his master's verbal 

 orders on all occasions. When what are called irrational animals are taught such strict obedience to the 

 command of a superior order, it is in general supposed to be the effect of fear ; but Bakewell never made 

 use of either whip or spur. "When on horseback he had a strong walking-stick in his hand, which he 

 made the most use of when on foot; he always rode with a slack rein, which he frequently let lie upon 

 the horse's neck, and so great was his objection to spurs, that he never wore them. It was his opinion 

 that all such animals might be conquered by gentle means ; and such was his knowledge of animal 

 nature, that he seldom failed in his opinion, whether his attention was directed to the body or the mind.'* 

 (Agri. Mem. p. 127.) 



2024. Tke imrposes for which animals are fed or nourished, are for promoting their 

 enlargement or growth; for fitting them for "labor ; for the increase of certain animal 

 products ; or for fattening them for slaughter as human food. We shall confine our 

 remarks to the last purpose as being the most important, and as necessarily including 

 much of what belongs to the three others. In doing this, the following points require 

 to be attended to : abundance of proper food, a proper degree of heat, and protectioa 

 against extremes of weather; good air, water, moderate exercise, tranquillity, clean- 

 liness, comfort, and health. 



2025. Food, though it must be supplied in abundance, ought not to be given to 

 satiety. Intervals of resting and exercise must be allowed according to circumstances. 

 Even animals grazing on a rich pasture have been found to feed faster when removed 

 from it once a day, and either folded or put in an inferior pasture for two or three 

 hours. Stall-fed cattle and swine will have their flesh improved in flavor by being 

 turned out into a yard or field once a day ; and many find that they feed better, and 

 produce better flavored meat when kept loose under warm sheds or bammels, one or 

 two in a division, a practice now very general in Berwickshire. (See Uammel.} 

 Coarser food may be first given to feeding animals ; and as they acquire flesh, that 

 which is of more solid and substantial quality. In general it may be observed, that if* 

 the digestive powers of the animal are in a sound state, the more food he eats, the sooner 

 will the desired result be obtained ; a very moderate quantity beyond sufficiency con- 

 stitutes abundance ; but by withholding this additional quantity, an animal, especially 

 if young, may go on eating for several years, without ever attaining to fatness. Pro- 

 perly treated, a well fed ox, of moderate size, will feed on a ricli pasture in from four to 

 six months, and in stalls or covered pens, with green or steamed food in a shorter 

 period. 



2026. In young growing animals, the powers of digestion are so great, that they require 

 less rich food than such as are of mature age ; for the same reason also they require 

 more exercise. If rich food is supplied in liberal quantities, and exercise withheld, dis- 

 eases are generated, the first of which may be excessive fatness ; growth is impeded by 

 very rich food, for experience shows, that the coarsest fed animals have uniformly the 

 largest bones. Common sense will suggest the propriety of preferring a medium course 

 between very rich and very poor nutriment. 



2027. Mastication and cooking. Unless food be thoroughly deprived of its vegetative 

 powers before it enters the stomach, the whole nourishment which it is capable of afford- 

 ing cannot be derived from it. In the case of the leaves and stalks of vegetables, this is 

 in general effected by mastication ; but it requires some care to accomplish it in the 

 case of grains. Hence the advantage of mixing corn given to horses or cattle with chaff or 

 chopped straw ; and hence, it is supposed by some, the intention of nature, in the in- 

 stinct which fowls have to swallow small stones, is intended for the same object. But 

 the most effectual mode of destroying the living principle, is by the application of heat ; 

 and if vegetable food of every kind could be steamed or boiled before it was given to 

 animals (at least in winter, and for fattening to slaughter, or feeding for edible products), 

 it is rendered probable by analogy and experiment, that much more nourishment would 

 be derived from it. 



2028. Salt, it appears, from various experiments, may be advantageously given to 

 most animals, in very small quantities ; it acts as a whet to the appetite, promotes the 

 secretion of bile, and, in general, is favorable to health and activity. In this way only 

 can it be considered as preventing or curing diseases ; unless perhaps in the case of 

 worms, to which all salin^ and bitter substances are known to be injurious. 



2029. That degree of heat which is aborigine, or has by habit, and the breeding from 

 successive generations in a cold climate, become natural to animals, is necessary to their 



