Vol. v.— No. 3. 



NEW ENGLAND FAUiMEK. 



21 



any 



" When there is no convenience tor bruijiing 

 oats, inucii good may be done by mi.xing tiieni with 

 clover or otlier hay cut up with a small proportion 

 of.-^traw. By this, two objects will be accomplish- 

 ed : the oats will be perfectly masticated, and, 

 therefore, wholly converted to niitiimcnt : and a 

 waste of hay will he prevented. Mr Blaine, an 

 English writer,thinks tliat three horses may be sup- 

 orted in tlii.s way .it as little c.vpense as two kept 



»;5 jy, we have among others two prominent evils to cd. Tiie following comimmicalion from iin En- 1 wri'crs say when horses are fed principally on 



'■'■i 'egret and reform. The disinclination of opulent I giish officer in the ^^ervi^o of the East India Com- steamed potatoes they do not need any water. 



'■■i 1 ind educated land proprietors to reside on and ! pany will shew the utility of bruising grain for 



'n;S lultivatc one of their farms, and the disinclina- 1 feeding horses or cattle. 



' i:» ion of the farmers to educate tliemselves and \ '• I have always been an advocate for cutting 

 i Jieir children sufficiently for understanding the i hay and straw, and bruising corn (grain) for cattle 

 i i| listory, and eflects of the various modern improve- 1 of every description, and' am convinced that any 

 ■jfc nents. Our farmers are as acute and sagacious I man, who has p;iid attention to the subject, will 

 'H IS any in the world. They abound in that invaluable soon see the advantage tliat must result from the 

 irticle, common sense. I5ut that is by its very do- ! aioption of that practice. My attention was 

 inition.nothing more than the accumulate.! sugges- | particularly called to this subject by a circum- 



ions of their own experience, and that by necessity I stance which came under my notice wlien with j in the usual manner. Tlie proportions he recom- 

 las been narrowed and limited. So far as ] the cavalry under Lord Lake on the western I mends are one part hay, two of straw, and one of 

 lepends on my own observation, I cannot join in banks of the Junna in 1804. Channa, the usual | oats ; and of tliis mi.xture he gives from three to six 

 he reproach that our farmers are unduly prcjudi- ; food being scantily supplied, Lord Lake ordered ', pecks daily, according to the size and employment 

 ;ed or bigotted ; that their adherance to their old | the horses to be fed with equal parts of channa ' of the horse : and he observes that it will add 

 )ractices is merely because they are old, and have i and barley, bruised and steeped in the usual way ; | very much to the nutriment, which the mi.xture af 

 leen handed down to them from their forefathers. I but from the irregularity of the size of the barley fords,if the oats are previously bruised. Mr White 

 They ought to be cautious and calculating. Festina [ and channa, and inattention on the part of those, ' says, "lam inclined to think that clover hay is 

 ente should be their motto. They ought to yield i who.se duty it was to see it prepared, the greater ' preferable for this purpose to any other. It is gen- 

 inly to conviction, and that conviction in important j part of the barley was given entire, and passed ' erally thought that kind of hay is not well adapted 

 ases, (and by important, I mean where the result of, through the stomach and intestines of the horses, j for saddle-horses, or such as are employed in quick 

 iltimate profit is doubtful,) ought to be effected j apparently little, if at all impaired in its nutri- ! work ; but this opinion, perhaps, has arisen from 

 lot by pathetic address or ingenious statement, but I tive quality. The scarcity of grain which pre- the too common and mischievous practice of giving 

 ly occular demonstration by personal observation of I vailed at that time induced many thousands to horses as much hay as they will eat, or a great 

 J he actual and successful experiment. And who , flock to the British cainp, in search of food, and I deal more than is proper for them. Horses gener- 

 )Ught to be at the hazard and primary expense of j daily witnessed for weeks together many hun- ally prefer clover-hay ; and it appears to contain 

 hat experiment? Who ouglit to be the great | dreds of those people of all ages, coming into the more nutriment than the other kinds: it should, 

 exemplar of a reformed and animated Agriculture ? ' lines of our cavalry, and anxiously collecting and therefore, always be given sparingly. Chaff [cut 

 »Vithout hesitation I reply, the opulent, educated, carrying' away the excrement as it fell from the hay or straw] becomes dry aud dusty ; therefore, 

 mt deeply interested, proprietor. The experi- ' horses. This they exposed a few hours to the sun, [ enough for only a few day's consumption should 

 nent, if it fails, will cost hiifi comparatively nothing, i and by rubbing and sifting it, procured a large ; be cut at a time. When good hay cannot be pro- 



^ ie will have the pleasure of the chase, though supply of good food. This detail, which is on cured, sweet straw is an e.xcellent substitute, and 

 .ho game should escape him; and in the worst J some accounts afHicting to humanity will pro- , far better than bad bay, or, perhaps, such as is in- 

 ; vent, he will find consolation in that feeling bably go further in convincing the incredulous i different. 



.vhich constitutes the purest felicity of man, j upon this' subject tlian the most ingenious theory.', "Hay that has been a little heated in the mow. 

 j{ which misfortune or errors cannot deprive him, i It must prove to every unprejudiced man that a pro- ' or as it is termed is iiiow-bunit, is not I believe, so 

 .vhicli is indivestible, above the accidents'of earth, j digious waste takes place in the use of corn for | unwholesome as it is commonly thouijht to be ; but 

 ind connected with the unerring certainty of | horses when it is not previously ground or bruised." i horses are generally fond of it, and, if allowed, 



Heaven: he will feel warm in his heart the con- 

 sciousness of benevolent design — he will be repaid 

 in t!ie ample compensation of a self-rewarding 

 beneficence. This if he fails. — If he succeeds, 

 his pecuniary is his rightful, but smallest emolu- 

 ment. A crowd of neighbours come to inquire 

 and imitate, to be convinced, and to go and do 

 likewise. He may be, he w ill be, the instrument 

 of spreading fertility over his native land, deep 



It appears from the experience of Mr. Curwen ■ would often eat too much. It is supposed that 

 [a celebrated English agriculturist] that the feed- saccharine matter is developed by the ferraenta- 

 ing of working horses on cooked provender is tion which hay undergoes in the mow, and as that 

 highly profitable. One great advantage, he ob- , which is mow burnt appears to contain more sac- 

 serves is the short time that is required for eating , charine matter than any other, it is probable that 

 a proper quantity, and its more easy digestion. ' it may be found preferable where used with dis- 

 " A horse." he says " will take six hours in eating cretion, provided it has not been too much heated ; 

 a stone [14 lbs] of hay, whereas he will eat a for when it lias become quite brown there will gen- 

 stone of steamed potatoes in twenty minutes." A erally be found a considerable degree of acidity 

 ening the verdure of its vallies, of crowning its j horse thus fed will therefore, have a much longer in it, which probably would be injurious if eaten 

 hills with waving plenty, of making the wliole i time for rest than olie fed in the common way ; freely. Hay that is dry, and void of smell is cer- 

 scope of its cultivation one scene redolent of i and it is probable that tiie stomach being thus , tainly bad ; but that which is dusty, mouldy, and 

 fragrance, resonant with joy. But I check j quickly satisfied, the animal will be disposed to of a bad smell is exceedingly prejudicial. Dry 

 myself. sleep' or rest, which is favourable to the digestive ' hay should be moistened with water and if at all 



{To be continued.) (process. In a letter from Mr. Curwen to Mr. I dusty, should be previously well shaken: this is 



particularly necessary when it is used for horses 



that are greedy of water, or subject to coughs 



Hay after it is one year old rather becomes worse 

 than improves, particularly in small mows : after 

 the second year, it should never be used when any 

 that is newer can be procured — perhaps good 

 straw is preferable to it especially if the horse i s 

 allowed a good quantity of oats. Horses shoul d 

 be allowed either a run at grass or green food in 

 the Stable during the early part of summer. 



— . i Peall, that gentleman observes, " I can confirm 



ON THE MANAGEMENT AND DISEASES ; after great and most extensive practice, every 

 OF HORSES. (Continued from page ry.) jthinglhave formerly advanced with respect to 

 Experience has often demonstrated that the ' feeding horses on steamed potatoes. I have found 

 most serious consequences may ensue when a it expedient to add a little more straw with a 

 horse is subjected to violent exercise on a full ; view to rendering the food less costly. A decisive 

 stomach. This indigestion thus occasioned often ' distinction should be made between cut straw and 

 causes violent colics which sometimes prove chaff, in the husk of the grain ; the latter is per- 

 fatal. Surgeon White says " I have known many fectly indigestible and dangerous. I strongly sus- 

 instances of this : and when we consider how'pect I have lost horses formerly by its being used 

 often post and stage-coach horses are suddenly i contrary to my orders. The practice of potatoe 

 attacked during their work with gripes or /i'c/, ' feeding has been adopted by several gentlemen 

 as it is commonly termed arising entirely from | upon a large scale, all of whom concur in declar- 

 this cause, it will appear astonishing that it has ;ing that the opposition to the relinquishing of this 



not excited the attention of post-masters and 

 other proprietors. 



Oats, which escape being crushed or broken by 

 the teeth, though properly soaked by the saliva 



CULTIVATION OF THE VINE. 

 We learn from the Philadelphia Gazette, that 

 the vine is cultivated in Pennsylvania to an extent 



mode of feeding would now be as great as it was I of which few persons have had any idea. In the 

 to its adoption. I have found steamed straw, (cut) immediate neigbourhood of the borough of York^ 

 very good food when I could do no better." Mr. there are one hundred and fifty acres of vineyards, 

 Curwen observes that horses fed upon steamed | gome on the tops of mountains, and some in the 



and juice of the stomach, are not properly digest- [potatoes should have but little water: and other I faosoms of vallies. In Adam, and in Westmoreland 



