4o HORSE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 



as the quantity of the grass produced. Poor and im- 

 poverished land produces but very inferior fodder. On 

 the other hand, as pointed out by Mr. H. S. Thompson 

 {Journal of the Boyal Agriciiltiiral Sooiety, 1872), if land 

 be treated with an excess of manure rich in nitrogenous 

 matters, as guano and nitrate of soda, the luxuriant grass 

 thus produced will be of inferior quality, and will prove 

 unwholesome. The same remark applies to carrots and 

 other roots. 



Straw and Chaff. — When horses are fed in the 

 ordinary way, on corn and hay, or on corn and grass, 

 there is no objection to allowing them to eat wheat or 

 oat straw, which, if they be that way inclined, they will 

 generally select from their bedding. Wheat and oat straw 

 are more easily digested than barley straw; all three 

 kinds being better than rice straw. I have noticed that 

 in England, some horses will not thrive unless they are 

 allowed to eat a portion of their straw bedding. This is, 

 probably, owing to the fact that, for the digestion of the 

 highly-nutritious food upon which they are fed, they 

 require an additional amount of bulk, which the straw 

 supplies. In India, sufficient bulk will generally be 

 obtained from the grass which the animal consumes. 

 Although " long straw " may be a useful adjunct to grass 

 or hay, as a food, I do not think it advisable to give it 

 alone and in large quantities, with the corn ; for it will 

 then be liable to produce obstinate constipation. Its 

 consumption, to the exclusion of hay or grass, is supposed 

 to be a fruitful cause of roaring among Scotch cart-horses. 

 The breaking up or cutting up of straw into small pieces 

 seems to greatly increase its food value when given with 



