FOODS AND FEEDING. Ill 



Goose grass " or " silver weed " is a feathery leafed plant, which also Goose 

 has a whitish under-surface. grass or 



" Docks," tall plants with large red and green leaves and brownish ^J2[ 

 red stem and flower ; they are especially common in clover. Docks. 



" Sorrel," in appearance like a miniature dock ; has a sharply acid Sorrel! 

 flavour when green, which it imparts to the hay and is not liked by 

 horses. Knap 



" Knap weed," " blackhead " or " hardhead," common on all soils, is weed 

 easily recognisable by the hard, scaly, indigestible heads and tough black'or 

 branching stems. hard head. 



" Plantain," "ribbed grass," or "lamb tongue," is very common, as it Plantain, 

 is not regarded by all as obnoxious, seeing that it is eaten by sheep ; ribbed 

 its presence in hay, however, is objectionable, as horses do not like it. grass, or 



Thistles are not liked by horses owing to their prickles ; their presence ^p.^^Q 

 in quantities shows that the land has not been well done, and a general jj^jg*! ' 

 want of quality may be looked for, therefore, in a sample containing 

 many. 



" Dandelion," although found on all soils, should not be in excess, for Dandelion. 

 the same reason. 



" Cat's ear," which closely resembles a very small dandelion, but with Cat's ear. 

 a solid branched stem, is very objectionable owing to its bitterness. 



" Yellow rattle " grows most freely on poor, low-lying land, and its Rattle, 

 presence indicates a poor quality of crop. It takes its name from the 

 sound it gives on shaking a ripe seed head. 



" Buttercups " and " Marguerites," or " Ox-eye daisies" are both weeds Butter- 

 as far as hay is concerned ; the latter flourishes best in low, damp soils, cups and 

 and has a bitter taste, disliked by horses. daisies. 



"Nettles," "wild parsnip," or other similar plants, are found at the Nettles 

 edges of fields, and may find their way into a stack ; but their presence ^^^ other 

 should be exceptional. Weeds cannot altogether be eliminated from weeds, 

 hay, but in a good sample there is a very small proportion only. 



T/ie Charaderistics of Good Hay. 

 Good hay should be of a good colour, i.e.^ greenish or brownish, General 

 but not yellow, crisp to the feel, sweet to taste, and of pleasant aroma, characters 

 especially meadow hay ; the grasses should be between flower and seed, ^ ^-^^^ 

 and well-grown specimens of their sorts ; and while the feel imparted ^^' 

 should not be too soft, it should not, on the other hand, give the impression 

 of being woody. The colour of flowering heads should be to some 

 extent retained in well-saved samples up to one year old, and the herbage 



