Foods and Feeding 23 



or those having weak digestive organs- — 

 indicated by symptoms of indigestion — it 

 is preferable to use them 'bruised.' Many 

 farmers feed the whole of their horses on 

 bruised oats and straw, but this is not the 

 most economical or ' ideal ' manner of feed- 

 ing the horse ; a mixed forage being pre- 

 ferable. Good oats should weigh about 

 42 lbs. to the bushel, be one year old, hard, 

 dry, glossy, and free from any musty smell, 

 oats of the latter class being exceedingly 

 injurious, frequently causing excessive 

 staling, (Diabetes.) 



Kiln-drying is a process often employed 

 to destroy the musty odour attached to 

 damaged oats, and of course grain thus 

 treated is distinctly inferior. The same 

 process has also another aim, viz. : — that 

 of convertino- ' new ' oats into the same 

 appearance as ' old ' ones. Sometimes 

 damaged, also black oats, are treated 



