Feeding. 157 



but in all respects they are an inferior article of 

 food. While the potato and Scotch oats are 

 short, plump,, heavy in the hand, possessing thin 

 husks, weighing from 40 to 46 pounds per bushel, 

 and possessing a high percentage of nutritious 

 matter, the black and Tartary oats are long, light, 

 and slender, their husks are thick and bearded 

 (or tailed), the proportion of meal, and conse- 

 quently the nutrition, is much less, they seldom 

 weigh more than 36 pounds to the bushel, and 

 prove very inadequate for working horses. 



Good oats yield about 14 per cent, of nutrition. 

 They are as a rule very digestible, and when 

 clean, dry, sweet and sound, answer very well 

 for all horses doing light work. 



The proportion required for different animals 

 varies in accordance with bhe work; but size 

 of animal also calls for modification in the 

 daily allowance. Horses from 15 to 16 hands 

 in light work or exercise only, will do very well 

 upon 8 or 10 pounds per day, which may be 

 increased to 12 pounds under greater work. 

 Cart-horses will require 12 to 16 or 18 pounds, 

 and wagon-horses of large build as much as 20 

 to 25 pounds. 



A small quantity of cut straw, or hay and 

 bran, is advantageously given with the oats in 

 the manger or nose-bag. Mastication is much 

 more perfect and digestion facilitated thereby. 

 This equally applies to all kinds of corn. 



It is not necessary always to bruise oats. If 



