"MEDITAMUR AVENA." 125 



thing a horse eats ought to be, of the finest quality. 

 It may be thought that the weight of oats is not 

 a matter of great consequence, nor, in fact, is it 

 to cart or common horses : but it is quite the 

 reverse to such as we are particular about as to 

 stamina, wind, and condition. Good oats ouo-ht 

 to weigh close on forty pounds per bushel ; for 

 we must recollect that, in the first place, horses 

 (excepting military ones) are fed by measure, not 

 by weight ; consequently, in giving light oats, we 

 actually rob the horse of his proper quantum of 

 meal, giving him husks instead ; and if we fed 

 him by weight, going on the principle that a 

 pound of lead and a pound of feathers are both a 

 pound, the principle would be a very bad one as 

 regards oats ; for, in that case, though the horse 

 got his pound weight, if he gets an undue portion 

 of it in husks, he is only filled with that which is 

 of no use to him ; so in every way light oats are 

 bad for choice horses. 



Some persons, indeed many, object to black 

 oats. The only objection that I ever found to 

 them is, they are apt to be tally, particularly the 

 Tartars; but if they are neat, short, and round, I 

 think them quite as good as the white — indeed, 

 in one particular, better; as such as I describe as 

 good are generally thin-skinned. 



Irish oats, that is, those sent to this country, 

 are often objectionable, as a large proportion of 



