MAINTENANCE OF ANIMALS. 40S 



which would have indicated a loss of 449 lbs. ; the difference being 

 due, however, in great part, or entirely, to the less bulky or weighty 

 food employed. 



EXPERIMENT V. 



POTATOES SUBSTITUTED FOR A PORTION OP THE HAY. 



The ration made use of in the first experiment looks so well, in 

 reference to economy of hay, and, indeed, answered so well under 

 the peculiar circumstances in whi^ch it was tried, that I thought it 

 would be advisable to try it again when the horses were doing ordi- 

 nary work. The ration consisted of: 



Hay 11 Ihs. 



Straw.... 5.5 " 



Oats 7.23 " 



Steamed potatoes 30.8 " 



The first weighing took place after the horses had been over a 

 week on the ration, and the experiment was continued for 63 days. 

 In team No. 1, Braun, from indisposition, had been replaced by 

 Rapp, a horse nine years old, and weighing 1157 lbs. : 



In 63 days gain 76 66 81 10.1 



In the course of two months, consequently, on a ration in which 

 11 lbs. of hay were replaced by 30.8 lbs. o.^ dressed potatoes, the 

 weight of the horses may be said to have been more than main- 

 tained. This experiment seems to show satisfactorily, that the 

 equivalent of the potato cannot be far from the number 280. 



EXPERIMENT VI. 



JERUSALEM POTATO FOR A PORTION OF THE HAY. 



The horses were brought back to the same conditions as in the 

 second experiment, 30.8 lbs. of Jerusalem.^ being substituted for 

 11 lbs. of hay. The team No. 2 was alone subjected to this experi- 

 ment, being kept on it for 16 days, and first weighed after having 

 had it for some time : 



First weighing No. 2. 4395 lbs. Average weight per horse 1098.9 



Second weighing.. " 4396.7 " " " 1099.1 



Iniedays gain 1.7 0.2 



This result confirms that which was elicited by the second ex- 

 periment. 



EXPERIMENT VH. 



INTRODUCTION OF FIELD-BEET, OR MANGEL-WURZEL, INTO THE 

 RATION. 



Horses readily get accustomed to field-beet. The root is sliced, 

 and mixed with chaff, (cut straw.) For 11 lbs. of hay, which I re- 

 trenched, I allowed 44 lbs. of beet ; i. e. I took 400 as the equiva- 

 lent numbei of ^.he root. The ration consisted as under: 



