S THE HORSE. 



are, therefore, not alike in their feeding value. Oats of good 

 quality, and of heavy bushel-weight, are plump and short, 

 the grains having large, mealy kernels, and being covered 

 with verj^ thin and but little husk. Oats of poor quality, on 

 the other hand, can easily be told by the grains being long 

 and thin, and very light in weight, while they are covered 

 with much and thick husk, and contain only a small amount 

 of kernel. Oats should have a sweet, healthy smell, and be 

 quite free from mouldiness. If they are in good and dry con- 

 dition, they Avill " rattle like shot," when a handful is taken 

 out of the sack and dropped into it again. A good sample 

 should always be free from dust and dirt. New oats are 

 characterised by an earthy smell, and frec|uently by the grains 

 being comparatively soft. They are not nearly so wholesome 

 as old oats, and, if fed in large quantities, they often cause 

 scouring, and upset the digestion. Feeding with new oats 

 should therefore be avoided, but if they must perforce be 

 made use of, not more than six })ounds a day should be fed, 

 and they should be mixed with old oats or with maize. At 

 the end of five months after harvesting, oats need no longer 

 be regarded as " new." There is nothing to choose between 

 white oats and black oats as regards their suitability for 

 horse-feeding purposes, both being e<]ually suitable. In the 

 market, a sample of white oats geneitilly commands a better 

 price than a black sample of similar quality and bushel 

 weight, because many horse-owners prefer Avhite oats to black 

 ones, but in reality the colour does not affect the quality. 

 Black oats generally yield better crops on veiy liglit soil than 

 white oats, and the question whether white or black oats 

 should be grown, depends chiefly on the nature of the soil 

 farmed. In storing oats after they have been threshed, it 

 should be seen that the place is dry and well ventilated. 

 The oats should be spread out pretty thinly on the floor, and 

 it is a good plan to turn them over occasionally with a shovel, 

 so as to insure their keeping in good condition. 



Ma.ize is a very useful and suitable food for horses on 

 farms and small holdings. The cost of maize is less than that 



