JAX.] HORSES. 23 



grain. Barley does not agree nearly so well with 



them. 



HORSES. 



One of the most useful general lessons that 

 can be given to an arable fanner, is to keep his 

 horses always at work. The expence of a team is 

 so great, that, if he does not pursue this rule, he 

 must lose by them. January is a month in which 

 all business of tillage ought to be at a stop. If the 

 weather is a hard frost, care should be taken to 

 make use of it in carting manures on the farm. If 

 there are composts ready, a frost should not be let 

 slip ; or, if there is faggot carting to be performed, 

 or the earth of borders under hedges to be carried, 

 the carts should be kept close to work of that kind, 

 as long as the frost lasts. But, if the weather is 

 open, road-work must be done. Carting out the 

 corn may not nearly employ the teams ; on other 

 days the carts should go to the nearest town for 

 manure. There certainly are situations precluded 

 from this advantage, but not many. How well it 

 would answer to keep a team on purpose for the 

 employment, depends on various circumstances; but 

 we may be assured, that it must answer to employ 

 the teams about it, when they would otherwise 

 stand still ; for then the expence is little more than 

 Jabour and wear and tear. 



The same observations are partly applicable to the 

 ox teams ; and the farmer should have a strict eye, 

 that both horses and oxen have plenty of litter ; 

 otherwise his farm will suffer from a deficiency of 

 manure. 



C 4 THRESH- 



