254 STABLE ECONOMY. 



When there is neither grass, carrots, nor any boiled food, 

 the horses receive a large warm mash of bran on Saturday 

 night. They work none on Sunday, Salt is not generally 

 used ; never except for the lick or the staling-evil, and then a 

 lump of rock-salt is placed in the manger. 



Barley is sometimes given raw. The mixture then con- 

 sists of oats six bushels, of beans three, of barley three, and 

 of chaff six. The horses are fed the same number of times, 

 and from the same measure. This mixture is most esteemed 

 when the work is more than usually laborious. 



Wheat is sometimes used ; six bushels of chaff, six of oats, 

 three of beans, and three of wheat, form the wheat mixture, 

 which is given in the same way as the others. 



Mr. Lyon has tried meal-seeds. The feeding contained 

 eight bushels of chaff, six of oats, four of barley, four of 

 beans, and three of meal-seeds. In this mixture, there is a 

 larger proportion of grain ; but the work was severe, for there 

 were few spare horses. 



In dear hay seasons Mr. Lyon has given straw chaff, but 

 he thinks it is not profitable while good hay is to be obtained 

 at a moderate price. The hay-seed is all sold. The horses 

 are always in excellent condition. Their legs are never 

 washed without permission. They are watered four or five 

 times a day. They stand always on litter, except on working 

 days, when the litter is entirely taken from the stall, until the 

 horse returns from work. Much straw is saved by this ar- 

 rangement, but horses that will not urinate on the bare stones 

 may be sent to the road with a full bladder. From this, how- 

 ever, I have not observed any injury. The foreman resides 

 in the stable-yard. He is authorized to hire and discharge 

 strappers. The stud is visited every morning by a veterinary 

 surgeon, and a stable, containing three loose boxes, is set 

 apart for sick and lame horses, 



Mr. Walker of Glasgow gives his stage-coach horses five 

 feeds per day. They are fed at six, nine, twelve, four, and 

 half-past six, or at seven. In winter the first four feeds con- 

 sist of oats and beans, which are given by measure. Eleven 

 of the feeds form one imperial bushel. The quantity of beans 

 varies according to the condition of the horses, and tlie qual- 

 ity of the oats. Sometimes less than a fourth of the feed is 

 beans ; at other times the oats and beans are in equal propor- 

 tions. 'J'he last feed is boiled, and generally composed of 

 barley three, and beans two. Straw or hay chafi', and some- 

 times turnips, are added. Of the beans and barley mixed, 



