30 THE FAMILY HORSE. 



is likely to lead to still more extensive use of this grain as food for 

 horses. The black hulless variety is not used for malting; it yields 

 large crops in many parts of the Northwest, beyond the "corn belt," 

 and is as easily raised as oats. This new variety seems likely to 

 become an important item in the general grain crops of the country. 

 Barley contains a larger proportion of the elements which produce 

 heat and fat than any other grain, except Indian com. Moreover, it 

 weighs one half more per bushel than oats, and the hulless variety 

 is still heavier. When either barley or com and oats are ground 

 and fed together, they should be mixed according to weight, not 

 bulk. 



WpEAT Bran is a valuable article for horse feed, both for its 

 peculiar action on the digestive organs, and as a balance to richer 

 foods. When fed alone, it is generally in the form of warm mash. 

 To make this take four quarts of pure wlieat bran, add two tea- 

 spoonfuls of salt, pour over it boiling water, and stir quickly till all 

 is wet, but not too thin, cover closely to confine the steam, let it 

 stand until cool and give in the place of the regular feed. Such 

 a mash once a week, while the horse is kept stabled, will gently 

 open the bowels, and promote digestion. It should be given at 

 night, and preferably just before a day of rest, as the immediate 

 effect is somewhat weakening. Bran may also be mixed with 

 ground oats, com or barley. On this point Prof. Henry, of the 

 University of Wisconsin, writes as follows : 



*' As a rule we do not give enough importance to the necessity 

 of variety in our feed stuffs. If the farmer has oats in abundance, 

 along with hay, he is well satisfied to feed oats and hay to his 

 horses throughout the whole year — perfectly satisfied that they are 

 the best combination possible for the horse. Without doubt clean, 

 bright oats and hay free from dust are the best articles that can be 

 named, but the horse will crave other articles, nevertheless, after he 

 has been fed on these for some time. It is certainly possible where 

 oats have been the only grain feed, to substitute bran for a portion 

 of the oats and maintain the animals perfectly well with the mixed- 

 grain ration. The mills find bran so bulky that they cannot store it 

 successfully in any quantity during the summer and are forced to 

 drop their prices ; as soon as winter comes on they force it up to all 

 the market will bear. Farmers are finding out that bran that can 

 be stored during the summer months without moulding if put in a 

 perfectly dry place where a reasonable circulation of air can be 

 bad around it. Such farmers buy while the bran is cheap and make 



