OF LIVE STOCK. 



sells any barley straw, as he thinks it a better food for horses 

 and cows than oat straw, although it does not bring so high 

 a price by 3s. or 4s. a kemple : indeed, from experience he 

 finds, that when he runs short of barley or wheat straw, his 

 horses do not eat the oat straw for a night or two ; and he 

 is convinced, that the preference given to oat straw, is not 

 from its intrinsic value, but from the practice of our fore- 

 fathers in doing so, and very properly at that time, as the 

 oat crop was always the worst cleaned land, and full of 

 couch and other natural grasses, which made the fodder 

 better.* 



On the whole, the best and most economical mode of 

 maintaining and of working horses, and the utility of em- 

 ploying oxen partially in the cultivation of land, are points 

 of infinite consequence to the farmer and to the public. It 

 cannot be questioned, that the more cheaply produce can 

 be raised, at a lower price it can be furnished to the pub- 

 lic, without injuring the interests of those by whose exer- 

 tions it is raised. At present, we are under the necessity, 

 for want of attention to the cultivation of our wastes, to im- 

 port great quantities of oats from foreign countries, which 

 has contributed to exhaust our specie, and to render the rate 

 of exchange unfavourable ; but such an importation would 

 be rendered perfectly unnecessary, if, either by an universal 

 employment of two-horse ploughs, or single-horse carts, 

 every third horse might be saved ; or if horses could have 

 one feed per day of potatoes, yams, carrots, &c. instead of 



* Mr Dudaeon of Prora informs me, that there are strong objections 

 against giving barley straw to hdrses. They are commonly thought to 

 be more subject to batts, (gripes), with barley, than any other kind of 

 straw. Though the barley itself possesses certain laxative properties, 

 the straw is thought to be astringent. The practice of my Correspondent 

 is certainly contrary to general opinion and experience. 



