FOODS AND FEEDING. lOI 



linseed should be cooked quite slowly and repeatedly stirred to prevent Boiled 

 it sticking to the side of the vessel and burning ; if time is not an object, a linseed, 

 long continued period of soaking (24 hours) will answer the same purpose. 

 When thoroughly cooked or soaked the result is a jelly-like material of 

 the consistence of starch, and in this condition it is readily eaten and is 

 an excellent addition to any ration for the purpose of fattening the 

 animal. Half a pound to one pound daily is usually a sufficient Quantity, 

 quantity for this purpose, and the water in which the grain has been 

 cooked (linseed tea), should be added to the ration as it is very nutritious. Linseed 



Linseed cake, which is compressed refuse linseed after the oil has ^^.^• 

 been extracted, may be given as part of a mixed ration and should ^^"seed 

 be broken up into small pieces before being placed in the manger ; Lif^seg^j 

 linseed oil added to the food is, however, although frequently given, not oil. 

 so suitable or nourishing a method as giving the actual grain or cake, 

 because the digestion does not so readily absorb it in this form. 



GRAM. 



Gram (Chenna), a variety of pea, is the chief grain used in Western "Chenna. 

 and Northern India ; as a general ration it contains much too large a 

 proportion of flesh-formers to be suitable for an unlimited ration, and 

 ten pounds is generally said to be the most which can be given daily 

 with advantage. In appearance it is a reddish or yellowish brown, rather Appear- 

 shrivelled pea, roughly pyramidal in shape ; the outer skin is very hard ance. 

 and when split the kernel is a bright yellow colour, tasting very much 

 like ordinary peas. Inferior quaHties are small, much shrivelled, Inferior 

 greenish or almost black in colour and sometimes bitter to the taste, qualities. 

 As the grain is harvested in the open field small quantities of sand and 

 stones may be found in a sample and it requires carefully cleaning before 

 being fit for use ; it is frequently adulterated by the addition of a pro- 

 portion of cheaper grain and this practice is so prevalent that it is Two 

 customary to distinguish two qualities, viz., first and second sort, the official 

 latter of which is acknowledged to contain five per cent, inferior grains, qualities. 

 As the grain increases in age it tends to become darker and is very liable 

 to the attacks of vv^eevils ; it should be kept for at least four months after Weevils 

 being harvested before it is really fit for issue. The presence of in gram. 

 Lathyrus seeds in gram should always be looked for (see Lathyrus, p. 103). 



Feeding Grujn. — Although it may occasionally be necessary . to Feeding 

 give gram whole and dry, it is so hard a grain to masticate that gram, 

 this should be avoided if possible ; the general method of feeding is to 



