Importance of Grooming. 109 



creatures could receive a guaranteed dressing of 

 fifteen minutes only, each night and morning, 

 the effects would be marvellous. 



In a solitary instance, one man had fourteen 

 animals under his care. As he was infirm and 

 contented himself solely with the employment as 

 horsekeeper, he could devote more attention to 

 them than was possible in the other pits. 



Every morning and night each was well dressed 

 with a coarse brush, and left in a much more 

 comfortable state. 



His horses and ponies would have caused 

 many owners of animals above ground to blush 

 with shame at their superior condition and clean 

 shining skins. They were always doing equal 

 work with the animals of other collieries, but 

 suffered the leant of all, and consumed the least 

 corn. 



I have preferred to recite these facts rather 

 than dictate a philosophical explanation of the uses 

 of a brush and comb to the body of the horse. 

 Those who are so pertinaciously obstinate as to 

 deny him the influence of this luxury, I am 

 afraid are not in a condition to explain the 

 benefits of such an application from any ex- 

 perience of the adoption of similar means to 

 themselves. However, these are considered to 

 be measures not truly essential, and therefore, 

 while the attempt is on the one hand to save, as 

 these pseudo savants suppose, the sum of .300 

 per annum, they have not the philosophy to see, 



