S6 ON THE CECONOMY OF THE STABLE. 



ceflTity of taking feveral into fick quarters, 

 where they were foon recovered to their 

 former plight, by good hay and mafhes of bran 

 and meal. The milk too became poor as 

 water. I found it necelTary to reftrift the 

 quantity of cabbages, and allow hay. What I 

 have ever thought curious, both horned cattle 

 and fwine, according to my conftant obferva- 

 tion, prefer the leaves to the fined and fwceted 

 white hearts of the cabbage ; I fuppofe on ac- 

 count of the greater affinity of the leaf to the 

 bitter tafte of grafs, their natural and favourite 

 viand. Granting the fa6l of the inferiority of 

 the above-named vegetables, does the analogy 

 hold in refpeft to corn? And is there a greater 

 quantity of nutritive fubflance in a pound of 

 flour, the produce of the hundreds of Effex, 

 than in the fame quantity grown in a lefs fer- 

 tile diflria ? 



Chaff-cutting with an engine, was praftifed 

 in Germany and Italy, and known in England, 

 more than two hundred years ago. Of cut 

 ftraw I have no opinion, as being void of 

 nourifhment, and I think the ftraw of greater 

 ufe under the feet of a labouring horfe, than 

 in his belly. Hulls, or chaff, are much better, 

 alfo cut clover hay, to mix with the corn of 

 cart-horfes. Cutting up unthreQied oats for 

 feed, is an ancient and a good practice, particu- 

 larly when hay is fcarce. Threfhing and dref- 



fing 



