26 STABLE MANAGEMENT. 



and broken up by the animals' feet into small frag- 

 ments from one-eighth to two or three inches in 

 length, which is called " bhoosa." This is the staple 

 food of the working cattle, and is also used for horses. 

 It is a most important item of the crop, and in the 

 rural economy of an Indian village almost as much 

 is thought of it as the grain itself. Wheat and 

 barley straw makes what is called " white bhoosa," 

 and gram and the various pulses "missa bhoosa." 

 Both these can be used as horse food ; in fact, on the 

 Afghan frontier they get nothing else, and many 

 natives feed their animals entirely on it, never giving 

 them grass ; but although they will eat it, and for a 

 time keep condition, it is not to be recommended. 

 If it has to be used, and it is possible to obtain 

 any grass, they should be mixed together. A small 

 quantity of " bhoosa " mixed in the feed will make a 

 greedy feeder masticate it. " White bhoosa " looks 

 like badly chopped straw-chaff. "Missa bhoosa" is of 

 a dark colour, the particles not being straight-like 

 sticks, but bent about, and frequently there are a 

 quantity of the leaves of the plant mixed with it. 

 Care should be taken that both sorts are not mouldy, 

 which is very apt to be the case, as the native farmers 

 store it in large quantities during the winter, and 

 when the new crop comes on, if there is any of last 



