DIGESTION. 45 



CHAPTER III. 



DIGESTION. 



IN a work upon practical feeding, it maybe thought un- 

 necessary to go into the physiology of digestion, but every 

 intelligent feeder should understand the general principles 

 that underlie his business ; and the process of digestion 

 would seem to be the fundamental principle of animal pro- 

 duction. We do not propose to go into any elaborate dis- 

 cussion of this subject, but merely to touch upon such 

 general points as will give the reader some idea of the 

 general process of digestion. 



DIGESTION BEGINS m THE MOUTH MASTICATION, SALIVARY GLANDS, 

 AND THE SALIVA. 



The mouth is the vestibule of the alimentary canal. 

 Here are crushed all the alimentary substances, which are 

 often very hard, resisting and rough, and nature has pro- 

 vided a very thick epidermis to cover the mucous membrane 

 of the mouth, and protect it from injury in those parts 

 that come in contact with these rough, hard substances, as 

 on the upper surface of the tongue, palate, roof of the 

 mouth, and the cheeks. And it is in this mucous mem- 

 brane covering the tongue that are situated those small or- 

 gans of taste, that give perception of flavors, thus exciting 

 a desire for food, and no doubt informs the animal of the 

 good or bad quality of the food. 



The saliva is secreted by glands situated around the 

 cavity of the cheeks, and this fluid softens the food, 

 assists in its mastication and digestion, and must have 



