20 Tlie Practical Stud Groom. 



phenomena of almost bare patches in the paddocks to which 

 the horses return again and again, totally ignoring the 

 long, apparently luscious, grass with which these bare 

 patches are surrounded. These neglected parts of the 

 paddocks either contain species of grass which do not 

 appeal to the fastidious taste of the horse, or, owing to 

 the stimulating action of manure artificially applied, or of 

 the excrement of horses and cattle roaming the paddocks, 

 the growth is so rank that its flavour repels. . Without 

 troubling to probe into the scientific why and wherefore 

 of this state of affairs, the dullest witted stud groom would 

 get a glimmering of the dangers arising from' over- 

 manuring, and it might also strike him that the species of 

 grasses that the horses so resolutely avoided would seed 

 freely, and increase and multiply at the expense of the 

 much grazed varieties. 



The " ideal " that the stud manager aims to attain can 

 be easily set down. It is to have every perch of the 

 pasture on his farm, be its extent 100 or 1,000 acres, 

 covered with grass of a quality, not such as he thinks the 

 horses ought, to eat, but which they do eat voraciously, and 

 with every sign of enjoyment and profit. The difficulties 

 arise when an attempt is made to set down on paper the 

 methods whereby this desirable condition of affairs is to be 

 attained. These difficulties will only really be appreci- 

 ated after many years' practical experience of the problem. 

 Questions of variations of soil, elevations, and the dis- 

 concerting vagaries of the British climate, make it impos- 

 sible to lay down hard and fast rules applicable to all cases. 

 It would be the merest presumption to write dogmatically 

 on a subject which has occupied the minds and pens of able 

 writers, who have made the subject a life-long study and 

 speciality. The author must conterit himself with jotting 



