MISCELLANEOUS CONSIDERATIONS 517 



mown hay. When much exposed, as by bleaching, or when 

 wet with dew or rains, these properties are dissolved or 

 washed out of the plants, and in proportion as they are 

 they lose in palatability. 



The nature of the growth affects the palatability of 

 plants : ( I ) Through the rapidity or slowness of the 

 growth; (2) through the relative amount of the bulk pro- 

 duced, and (3) through the proportion of the stem to the 

 leaf growth. The more quickly that plants grow as a rule, 

 the more palatable are they, as quick growth is favorable 

 to succulence and adverse to woodiness. The more bulky 

 the foods are, the coarser are the fibres of the plants, and 

 the coarser the fibres are, the less is the degree of the pal- 

 atability. Slow growth is unfavorable to a large propor- 

 tion of leaf growth, and a large proportion of stem growth 

 is adverse to palatability. 



The inherent tastes of animals have an influence on 

 the degree to which foods are palatable to them. The horse, 

 for instance, is fond of timothy hay, but the sheep does not 

 take kindly to it. The goat is more fond of leaves and 

 small twigs than of grass while sheep are much more fond 

 of grass, and cattle will consume leaves only to a small extent 

 except under pressure of hunger. Horses are usually more 

 fond of carrots than of other field roots, while swine are 

 less fond of these than of any other varieties of roots. In- 

 stances illustrating this subject could be multiplied in- 

 definitely. 



Palatability in foods may be influenced by cultivating 

 the taste so to speak of the animals which feed upon them. 

 Sheep grown upon the western ranges will usually refuse 

 to feed upon rape when first turned in upon it if they 

 have access to grass at the same time. Soon they become 

 so fond of it that they prefer it to grass. Cattle in north- 

 ern areas will not feed upon sweet clover unless compelled 

 to do so through hunger, but catttle in the southern states 

 in certain areas will eat it with more or less relish. The 



