108 THE HORSE 



is an indication that it comes from a poor soil, and 

 as the nutriment in grass is all extracted from the 

 soil, hay from such land will be non-nutritious and 

 of small feeding value. Again, there is consider- 

 able difference in the quality and feeding value of 

 upland, lowland, and water-meadow hay. As only 

 certain of the best grasses are to be found in up- 

 land meadows, upland hay is characterized by the 

 fineness of its herbage, the narrowness of its 

 grasses, and is far the best quality of hay to be 

 got. It should always be supphed to horses doing 

 fast Avork. Lowland hay is known by the coarse- 

 ness of its stalks and the broad leaves of its grasses. 

 Water-meadow hay is coarse, and often full of 

 reed- and rush-like plants, and, although good cattle 

 grass, is considered unfit for horses. 



The characteristics of the best hay are crispness 

 and green color, sweetness of taste and aroma, the 

 presence of numerous early grasses in flower, and 

 a proportion of fine herbage. 



As stated above, water-meadow hay is generally 

 considered unsuitable for horses. A third factor, 

 that of the time at which the hay was cut, has 

 such an important bearing on its subsequent feed- 

 ing value, however, that it is necessary to enter 

 into a few details with regard to hay-making as it 



