THE HORSE. 117 



in sheds or yards, affording a sufficient shelter from 

 the inclemencies of the season, are indispensable for 

 wintering the horse, or indeed any other animal. Corn 

 is, in course, an extra charge. 



Formerly, observing in Middlesex, much long au- 

 tumnal grass unused and lying in waste, or for 

 manure, it occurred to me, that such lattermath, 

 clover, or lucerne, cut, and made into a stack with 

 oat straw, in alternate layers, might prove good 

 fodder for cattle and sheep after Christmas, when 

 that article is often so much in request. Many years 

 have since passed ; but I recollect an experiment on 

 a small scale, when it appeared to me probable, that 

 the straw absorbed the vegetables' juices, and was 

 thence rendered more nutritive. In consequence, I 

 proposed this plan in my books, from which it was 

 subsequently transferred into several other publica- 

 tions, without acknowledgment, and into the news- 

 papers ; but I have not yet seen or heard of any 

 experiments, which I would earnestly recommend. 

 Doctors differ on the comparative merits of oat and 

 barley straw. On the continent, and so far as I am 

 acquainted, in the Eastern parts of England, the 

 preference is given to oat straw ; in the western to 

 that of barley: I am on the eastern side of the 

 question. 



I glanced above at the subject of horse steal- 

 ing ; but if, in 1796 (Philosophical and practical 

 Treatise on Horses, vol. i. p. 540), the numbers stolen 

 appeared to me extraordinary, what is to be said of the 

 enormity of the numbers stolen during the last seven 

 years ? Why, that stealing horses is one of the most 

 important branches of the general, notable, and ac- 



