1012 



PHACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part III. 



(T'4. The expense qf feeding a kortt throughout the year may therefore be estimated, in regard to quan- 

 tity, as follows : — 



,i lK fifteen tin iru-n. Straw fur r.ther four months, half the price of har. 



bollinc, oni I ... and tares. ., ;.mi>, ur Svttdish turnips, j acre. 



Hq pan of October sad Nortmbar, Karen, April, and (Sup., *c. art. Art ) 



Mai, Ij ML 

 675.") 7'Ac effrni of land required for a horse's maintenance, suppisine the soil to be of a medium qualify, 

 mav be about five aires j thai is, lor oats Ibree acres, soiling one, and one more for hay and roots. On 

 rich soils four at res will be sufficient ; but on poor soils, and wherever horses are kept at pasture, the pro 

 duct oftix ai res and a half, or seven aires, will be i mistimed by one of them, when worked in the manner 

 alreaiiv mentioned. The straw of about two aires must be allowed for fodiier and litter, the last of which 

 h I* not been Stated above j because, at a distance from towns, what is allowed for litter must, at any rate, 

 be converted Into dung If sivtv ..ores, therefore, should be assumed as the average extent of land that 

 may be kept in cultivation by two horses, according to the best courses of modern husbandry, the produce 

 of ten acres of this will be required for their maintenance ; or, a horse consumes the produce of one acre 

 out of evert lis which he cultivates, according to a four or six years' course, and something more than 

 one acre out of every rive which he ploughs annually. ^General Report of Scotlaiid, vol. iii. p. 192.) 



Chap. II. 

 The Ass. — Kquvs Aslnus L. Ane, Fr. ; Escl, Ger. ; Asno, Span. ; and Asino, ItaL 

 6756. The ass is a native of the mountainous deserts of Tartary, of Arabia, Persia, 

 and other parts of the Asiatic continent ; and at present is very generally domesticated 

 throughout most civilised countries. The wild ass feeds chiefly on the most saline or 

 bitter plants of the desert, as the kalis, atriplices, chenopodium, cic. ; and also prefers the 

 saltest and most brackish water to that which is fresh. Of this the hunters are aware, 

 and usually station themselves near the ponds to which they resort to drink. Their 

 manners greatly resemble those of the wild horse. They assemble in troops under the 

 conduct of a leader, or sentinel; and are extremely shy and vigilant. They will, how- 

 ever, stop in the midst of their course, and even sulfer the approach of man, and then 

 dart off with the utmost rapidity. They have been at all times celebrated for their swift- 

 ness. Their voice resembles that of the common ass, but is shriller. 



6757 The excellencies and defects of the common ass have amply engaged the lively pens of several 

 descriptive writers on the history of animals ; and of none with more happy effect than those of the 

 eloquent Buffon, and the ingenious Abbe la Pluche. The ass, in his natural temper, is humble, patient, 

 and quiet and bears correction with firmness. He is extremely hardy, both with regard to the quantity 

 and quality of his food, contenting himself with the most harsh and disagreeable herbs, which other 

 animals will scarcely touch. In the choice of water he is, however, very nice ; drinking only of that 

 which is perfectly clear, and at brooks with which he is acquainted. He is very serviceable to many 

 persons who are not able to buy or keep horses ; especially where they live near heaths or commons, the 

 barrenest of which will keep him ; being contented with any kind of coarse herbage, such as dry leaves, 

 stalks thistles, briers, chaff, and anv sort of straw. He requires very little looking alter, and sustains 

 labour beyond most others. He is seldom or never sick ; and endures hunger and thirst longer than most 



other kinds ot animals. The ass may be made 

 use of in husbandry to plough light lands, to 

 carry burdens, to draw in mills, to fetch water, 

 cut chaff, or anv other similar purposes. The 

 female Ijis 851) is also useful in many cases 

 for her milk, which is excellent ; and she might 

 be of more advantage to the farmer if used, as 

 in foreign countries, for the breeding of mules. 

 The skin of the ass is extremely hard, and 

 very elastic, and is used for various purposes ; 

 such as to cover drums, make shoes, or parch- 

 ment. It is of the skin of this animal that the 

 Orientals make the fagri, or, as we call it, sha- 

 green. The milk of the ass is the lightest of all 

 milks, and is recommended by medical men 

 are used as those of the 



to persons of delicate stomachs ; the flesh, and the hair of the tail and mane, 



,,0 6758 The ass attains his full erowth in three or four years, and may then be put to work. Like the 

 borsehe willHve to^orSO vefrs : it is said the female lives longer than the male; but, perhaps, this 

 namfens from heir being often pregnant, and at those times having some care taken of them, nstead of 



wh 1 r^ 



not be down to sleep, except when they are exceedingly tired Ihe male as s also .las Umh "fc <| a „ 

 the stallion; the older he is, the more ardent he appears ; and, in general, the health of this animal M 

 much better than that of the horse ; he is less delicate and not nearly so subject to '^ladies. OphthaL. 

 mia which may be reckoned among the indigent of the cultivated horse, is almost unknown to the ass. 

 Contraction of the feet also is very seldom observed in him. Wause in 



6759. The different breeds or races of the ass are much less known than those of the horse , beta 

 this coun 

 inform 



fravellers 



lintry they have not been taken the same care of, or followed with the same attention. I rave lers 

 us that there are two sorts of asses in Persia ; one of which, being slow and heavy, is used for bur 



dens: and the other is kept like horses for tha 



j— ^r — £ — X—Jh. . .. «-.i . .*_-_ i ..tit I-,.,..- r'tr-rxr Ihotr 



saddle. The latter have smooth hair, carry their 

 beads well, and are much quicker in their motion ; 

 but when they rule them thev sit nearer the but- 

 tocks than when on horseback. They are dressed 

 like horses, and like them are taught to amble; 

 and they cleave their nostrils to give them more 

 room for breathing. According to Dr. Russell, 

 there are two sorts in Syria, one of which is like 

 ours, and the other very large, with remarkably 

 long ears ; but both kinds are employed for the 

 purpose of carrying burdens and eeuan tli.uis. 

 (A'- 852.) 



