BREEDING 127 



Nature works out all her creations, even to the minutest 

 details, these organs, which only Nature in her own 

 time, and acting on her own laws, would have 

 completed and perfected, are developed prematurely, 

 and Nature thwarted ; resulting internally in impaired 

 digestive powers, and loss of stamina ; externally in a 

 deficiency of muscular development and a stunted, 

 enfeebled frame. In the second place, before the 

 animal's osteological structure is complete, while the 

 bones are soft and unformed, and still pliant and 

 plastic, and his frame is actually growing, the effect is 

 equally disastrous, checking the growth and causing 

 the animal to be undersized and deficient in muscular 

 power, and, should he be worked hard and con- 

 tinuously, ending in complete exhaustion and total 

 collapse, the one following rapidly on the other. 



There is one question that I intend to allude to, Feeding of 

 although to a great extent it belongs to chapter vii., oamels 

 and that is, on the way in which camels that are set 

 apart exclusively for breeding should be fed. As I 

 deal most exhaustively with this subject in chapter vii., 

 all I will say here is that three points especially require 

 consideration, and they are, (1) the quality, (2) quantity, 

 and (3) special adaptation of the food, which, in addi- 

 tion to the finest pasture, ought to be supplemented by 

 nourishing cereals and a certain amount of farinaceous 

 food. In a few words, abundance of water and of the 

 most nutritious food, combined with freedom, is what is 

 necessary. But there is one point on which I speak 

 more fully, because of its direct connection with the 

 subject, and that is salt. 



The undoubted and inestimable value of salt to all 



