84 THE HORSE. 



half pounds of oats. Von Thaer says, that three 

 bushels are equal to 112 pounds of hay. Curwen, 

 who tried potatoes very extensively in feeding horses, 

 says that an acre goes as far as four acres of hay. 

 He steamed them all, and allow^ed each horse daily 

 2 libs, with a tenth of cut straw, which he preferred 

 to hay for this mode of feeding. 



The potatoes should be of a good kind, and not 

 frosted. They should always be cooked either by 

 steaming or boiling. They are best when steamed. 

 Horses like them as well raw, but they are exces- 

 sively flatulent, and this bad property is much cor- 

 rected by cooking, and by adding some salt. When 

 boiled, the process should be performed with little 

 water, and as quickly as possible. When nearly 

 ready, the water should be altogether withdrawn, 

 and the potatoes allowed to dry, uncovered, on the 

 fire for a few minutes. They should be put on with 

 hot water. They are always over-boiled. Horses 

 prefer them when hard at the heart. There is a gene- 

 ral prejudice against the liquor in which potatoes 

 are boiled. It is said to be injurious. In small 

 quantities it certainly produces no apparent evil. 

 I often see it given, not as a drink, but along v/ith 

 potatoes, beans and chaff, which are all boiled to- 

 gether and mixed into a uniform mass, in general 

 too soft. In some places the potatoes are not wash 

 ed when boiled. If the earth do not relax the bow 

 els, I am not aware that it does any injury, and tho 

 horses do not appear to dislike it. When the mass^ 

 however, from the addition of chaff, requires much 

 mastication, this sand or earth must wear down the 

 teeth very fast. 



TURNIPS 



Are in very general use for farm and cart-horses. 

 Of late they have also been used a good deal in the 

 coaching-stables j in many they have superseded the 



