190 STABLE ECONOMY. 



food of the horses. A French periodical of 1828 mentions 

 an agricuhurist " who fed his horses with a bread composed 

 of thirty bushels of oatmeal, and an equal quantity of rye- 

 flour, to which he added a portion of yeast, and nine bushels 

 of potatoes reduced to a pulp. With this bread he kept seven 

 horses, each having twelve pounds per day in three feeds. It 

 was broken into small pieces, and mixed with a little moist- 

 ened chaff." He had fed his horses in this way for four 

 years. Previously he had used oats, hay, and straw chaff. 



The Magazine of Domestic Economy, February number 

 for 1837, tells us that one ton of oats made into bread yields 

 more nutriment than six tons of the raw article, and that in 

 Sweden this has been proved by experience. It has never 

 been proved in Scotland, and I dare say it never will. It is 

 true, however, that a bread composed of oatmeal and rye, in 

 equal quantities, has long been used for horses in Sweden. 

 It is broken down and mixed with cut straw. It is in com- 

 mon use over different parts of Germany. I can not learn 

 any particulars as to the mode of making, nor of the quantity 

 given, nor of the horses' condition. In France, many at- 

 tempts have been made to produce a bread that would wholly 

 or partially supersede oats, which seem to be comparatively 

 precious on the continent. Buckwheat, rye, barley, wheat, 

 and potatoes, have been tried in varying proportion, and, ac- 

 cording to several accounts, with success. But it does not 

 appear very distinctly why these articles should be converted 

 into bread, which is a costly process, rather than given raw 

 or boiled. It is indeed alleged that some of the constituent 

 principles are not digestible until they have undergone fer- 

 mentation ; and it may be so, but no proof is shown that I 

 have seep. 



Linseed in small quantities, either whole or ground, raw 

 or boiled, is sometimes given to sick horses. It is too nutri- 

 tious for a fevered horse, but is very useful for a cough, and 

 it makes the skin loose and the coat glossy. Half a pint may 

 be mixed with the usual feed every night. For a cough it 

 should be boiled, and given in a bran mash, to which two or 

 three ounces of coarse sugar may be added. 



Oil Cake, ground and give« in the boiled food, when not very 

 rich, consisting chiefly or entirely of roots, is much stronger 

 than bran, and stronger, perhaps, than oatmeal seeds. Two 

 to four pounds per day is the usual allowance. It makes the 

 hair glossy. Horses seem to tire of it soon, but the farmer 

 will find it useful for heloincr his horses through the winter. 



