FOOD. 17 



Linseed Cake (rhal or khal). 



Linseed cake can be obtained in nearly every 

 large town, and is the residue left after the oil 

 is expressed; but as this process is imperfectly 

 performed, a good deal of oil is left much more 

 than in the steam-pressed English cake. It is 

 sold by the " seer " (2 Ibs. weight), but in irregular 

 lumps, not moulded into cakes as in Europe. Care 

 must be taken in buying it, as it is very likely 

 to be musty, and adulterated with mustard or rape 

 seed. Both these can be easily detected by the 

 taste or smell, leaving a pungent odour and a sharp 

 burning taste behind. The best plan is to crush a 

 small quantity of the cake and drop it into some 

 boiling water, when the sharp smell and taste cha- 

 racteristic of the mustard and rape oil will be given 

 off. A small quantity of linseed cake in the food 

 will fatten horses tremendously, but makes them 

 soft in condition. It is one of the articles used by 

 native dealers to fatten horses for sale, and at this 

 they are most expert. When crushed it can be 

 mixed with the food, or boiled to make linseed tea 

 for sick horses ; and for this latter purpose I prefer 

 it to linseed, as there is less oil in it, the smell of 

 which sometimes nauseates an animal and causes 

 him to refuse it. 



c 



