1012 



PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part III. 



6754. The expense qf feeding a horse throughout the year may therefore be estimated, in regard to quan- 

 tity, as follows : 



Straw for other four months, half the price of hay. 

 Potatoes, yams, or Swedish turnips, ^ acre. 



(Sup., Sfc. art. Agr.) 



Oats, fifteen quarters. 



Soiling, one acre of clorev and rye-grasa, and tares. 

 Hay part of October and November, March, April, and 

 May, li ton. 



6755. The extent of land required for a horse's maintenance, supposing the soil to be of a medium quality, 

 may be about five acres ; that is, for oats three acres, soiling one, and one more for hay and roots. On 

 rich soils four acres will be sufficient ; but on poor soils, and wherever horses are kept at pasture, the pro- 

 duce of six acres and a half, or seven acres, will be consumed by one of them, when worked in the manner 

 alreaily mentioned. The straw of about two acres must be allowed for fodder and litter, the last of which 

 has not been stated above ; because, at a distance from towns, what is allowed for litter must, at any rate, 

 be converted into dung. If sixty acres, therefore, should be assumed as the average extent of land that 

 may be kept in cultivation by two horses, according to the best courses of modern husbandry, the produce 

 of ten acres of this will be required for their maintenance ; or, a horse consumes the produce of one acre 

 out of every six which he cultivates,, according to a four or six years' course, and something more than 

 one acre out of every five which he ploughs annually. {General Report of Scotland, vol. iii. p. 192.) 



^ Chap. II. 



7'Ae Ass. E^guus Asmus L. Ane, Fr. ; Esel, Ger. ; Asno, Span. ; and Asino, Ital. 



675 S. The ass is a native of the mountainous deserts of Tartary, of Arabia, Persia, 

 and other parts of the Asiatic continent ; and at present is very generally domesticated 

 throughout most civilised countries. The wild ass feeds chiefly on the most saline or 

 bitter plants of the desert, as the kalis, atriplices, chenopodium, &c. ; and also prefers the 

 saltest and most brackish water to that which is fresh. Of this the hunters are aware, 

 and usually station themselves near the ponds to which they resort to drink. Their 

 manners greatly resemble those of the wild horse. They assemble in troops under the 

 conduct of a leader, or sentinel; and are extremely shy and vigilant. They will, how- 

 ever, stop in the midst of their course, and even suffer the approach of man, and then 

 dart off with the utmost rapidity. They have been at all times celebrated for their swift- 

 ness. Their voice resembles that of the common ass, but is shriller. 



6757. The excellencies and defects of the common ass have amply engaged the lively pens of several 

 descriptive writers on the history of animals ; and of none with more happy effect than those of the 

 eloquent Buffon, and the ingenious Abb6 la Pluche. The ass, in his natural temper, is humble, patient, 

 and quiet, and bears correction with firmness. He is extremely hardy, both with regard to the quantity 

 and quality of his food, contenting himself with the most harsh and disagreeable herbs, which other 

 animals will scarcely touch. In the choice of water he is, however, very nice; drinking only of that 

 which is perfectly clear, and at brooks with which he is acquainted. He is yery serviceable to many 

 persons wno are not able to buy or keep horses ; especially where they live near heaths or commons, the 

 barrenest of which will keep him ; being contented with any kind of coarse herbage, such as dry leaves, 

 stalks, thistles, briers, chaff; and any sort of straw. He requires very little looking after, and sustains 

 labour beyond most others. He is seldom or never sick ; and endures hunger and thirst longer than most 



other kinds of animals. The ass may be made 

 use of in husbandry to plough light lands, to 

 carry burdens, to draw in mills, to fetch water, 

 cut chaff, or any other similar purposes. The 

 female {Jig. 851.) is also useful in many cases 

 for her milk, which is excellent ; and she might 

 be of more advantage to the farmer if used, as 

 in foreign countries, for the breeding of mules. 

 The skin of the ass is extremely hard, and 

 very elastic, and is used for various purposes ; 

 such as to cover drums, make shoes, or parch- 

 ment. It is of the skin of this animal that the 

 Orientals make the fagri, or, as we call it, sha- 

 green. The milk of the ass is the lightest of all 

 milks, and is recommended by medical men 

 to persons of delicate stomachs ; the flesh, and the hair of the tail and mane, are used as those of the 



67.58. The ass attains his full groivth in three or four years, and may then be put to work. Like the 

 horse, he will live to 25 or 30 years : it is said the female lives longer than the male; but, perhaps, this 

 happens from their being often pregnant, and at those times having some care taken of them, mstead ot 

 which the males are constantly worn out with fatigue and blows^ They sleep less than the horse, and do 

 not lie down to sleep, except when they are exceedingly tired. The male ass also lasts much longer than 

 the stallion ; the older he is, the more ardent he appears ; and, in general, the health of this animal is 

 much better than that of the horse ; he is less delicate, and not nearly so subject to maladies. Ophthal- 

 mia, which may be reckoned among the indigenes of the cultivated horse, is almost unknown to the ass. 

 Contraction of the feet also is very seldom observed in him. ^ , v. . 



6759 The different breeds or races of the ass are much less known than those of the horse ; because in 

 this country they have not been taken the same care of, or followed with the same attention. 1 ravellers 

 inform us that there are two sorts of asses in Persia ; one of which, being slow and heavy, is used for bur- 

 dens ; and the other is kept like horses for the 

 saddle. The latter have smooth hair, carry their 

 heads well, and are much quicker in their motion ; 

 but when they ride them they sit nearer the but- 

 tocks than when on horseback. They are dressed 

 like horses, and like them are taught to amble ; 

 and they cleave their nostrils to give them more 

 room for breathing. According to Dr. Russell, 

 there are two sorts in Syria, one of which is like 

 ours, and the other very large, with remarkably 

 long ears; but both kinds are employed for the 

 purpose of carrying burdens and sedan chairs. 

 [fig. 852.) 



