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the same end is gained by mixing the oats with 

 chaff. It becomes impossible for the horse to bolt 

 his food when thus mixed, and the mastication 

 being slower, is more complete. Where chaff is 

 required in large quantities, I can suggest an in- 

 genious method of cutting it, practised by an 

 intelligent friend of mine, Mr. Cleeve, the proprie- 

 tor of one of the principal dairies in London. He 



I has constructed a treadmill to work the chaff- 

 cutter; it consists simply of two old gig-wheels, 

 to the fellies of which steps are nailed, and by aid 

 of an iron crank attached to the axle, the machine 

 is easily and rapidly worked, at one-third of the 

 expense of manual labour and in less than one- 

 third of the time. He keeps several hundred cows 



I and horses, and of course consumes large quanti- 



! ties of chaff: he told me that the whole cost of 

 erecting it did not exceed ten pounds. ]Mr. Cleeve 

 farms on a very extensive scale, and he informs me 

 that he has used a similar mill very advantageously 

 in thrashing his corn. He applied it to this pur- 

 pose in the first instance, as a convenient resource 

 for paupers who complained of want of w^ork ! It 

 cured all complaints, but latterly the labourers 



• have rather fancied the occupation. 



To return from this digression. Beans or 

 pease are often given with the oats, and when a 



