104 On (he Uses of Salt in Agriculture. 



mildew, and renders the hay more grateful, and more beneficial to 

 cattle *. 



8. It renders coarse food, more nourishing, and moist food less 

 injurious to Cattle and Horses. The ancients were accustomed to 

 prepare their straw for feeding stock, by keeping it for a considerable 

 time, sprinkled with brine ; it was then dried, rolled up in bundles, 

 and given to oxen instead of hay \. 



Mr Curwen finds, that if salt be given to cows, with steamed chaff, 

 and other inferior food, it makes them eat it up completely ; and that, 

 in a certain degree, it corrects the taste of milk when cows are fed on 

 turnips, and increases the quantity they produce. In Cheshire, they 

 give their cows a little salt when they are falling off in their milk J. 



In Flanders, it has been found, that a small quantity of pounded 

 salt, is very beneficial for horses, when new oats are given to them, if 

 the oats are at all moist ; and there can be no doubt, that moist food 

 in general, might be rendered less injurious, by the same means; for 

 instance, when raw potatoes are first given to horses. 



Mr Curwen is convinced, by experience, that chaff and straw, might 

 be rendered available to a much greater extent than at present, by the 

 use of salt. 



9. It preserves Stock from Disease, and improves their Condition. 

 In several countries, as in America, the East Indies, Flanders, Swe- 

 den, and Spain, it has been found that salt given to domestic animals, 

 is advantageous to them in various respects. It may be proper, how- 

 ever, to consider the best mode of applying it to the different sorts of 

 stock, under distinct heads. 



Horses. Mr Birkbeck, in his notes on a journey in America, re- 

 cently published, mentions, that the horses which he saw in the interior 

 of that country, were of an excellent description, and were in high con- 

 dition, even when travelling at the rate of forty-jive miles per day on 

 long journeys. They are fed well, getting from four to five gallons of 

 oats per day, besides hay, with a good handful of salt about twice a 

 week. 



It appears from an experiment tried at Mr Alderman Farley's Salt- 

 works at Droitwich, that salt is of great use to horses. The quantity 

 given was about four ounces, three days in the week, alternately mixed 

 with chaff. The whole four ounces, should not be given at once, but 

 at several times in the day, about a table-spoonful each time. It 

 makes the animals eat their food, and do their work better . 



Mr Curwen gives his horses employed at the farm, the colliery, 

 &c. at the rate of four ounces per day, with their steamed potatoes, 

 twice a day. It makes them clean out their cribs, and is a great be- 

 nefit to their health and condition. 



Salt given to horses, cures the botts ; and it is said, might be given 

 with great advantage to race horses, and would prevent the necessity 



" Sir Thomas Bernard's Tract on the Salt Duties, p. 262. 

 f Dickson's Husbandry of the Ancients, vol. ii. p. 409. 

 \ Sir Thomas Bernard's Tract, p. 96. This makes them drink more abun- 

 dantly, which increases the quantity of their milk. 

 Sir Thomas Bernard's Tract, p. 264. 



