HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [75 



much lessened, consistent with the convenience, or even the wel- 

 fare of the nation. The greatest consumers are not those used in 

 agriculture, (they are indeed the least), but those kept for pleasure 

 and luxury, for harness, the saddle, and the road, as well as for 

 the army ; and of which the farmers are generally the breeders, and 

 their stock in hand the source from whence they proceed, and with- 

 out which they eould not be supplied. 



It has been calculated, that the number of horses kept in the 

 kingdom is about 24 upon a square mile ; of these one-fourth are 

 colts and young horses in the breeder's hands, one-half are working 

 horses employed in agriculture, and one-fourth are used for the 

 saddle, harness, draught on the road, for the army, and for all other 

 uses ; and that these horses consume one-fourth of the whole pro- 

 duce of the land, leaving three-fourths for mankind, and for animals 

 used as human food. If we allow this county its average propor- 

 tion, the number kept of all sorts will be 29/280, which may be 

 divided in the above proportion. 



Many economical practices in keeping horses have been proposed, 

 but as they are generally attended with more trouble and labour 

 than giving hay and corn, they have not been generally adopted. 

 It is very certain that horses working easy need not be much pam- 

 pered ; and those not working at all, will get their living and im- 

 prove, in any sour rough pasture even in the winter ; but if they 

 are closely and hard worked, they must be well kept, or they will 

 sink both in flesh and strength. 



Vetches or green clover, or mown grass, are sometimes given in 

 the stable, which is an excellent practice, as it prevents waste by 

 treading. Carrots, or Swedish turnips, are good food for horses, but 

 the latter require to be washed and sliced by a machine. Boiled 

 potatoes are said to be excellent for horses. These kinds of food 

 would maintain horses from less land than giving them hay and corn. 

 Horses turned to pasture waste a considerable proportion of their 

 food by treading, and by their dung, and when full-bellied are apt 

 to range, and do much mischief: they are such great consumers, 

 that every means of keeping them well with economy deserves, the 

 utmost attention. 



A person who kept nine cart horses at jobbing, in constant heavy 

 work, gave them his oat crops cut in a straw-cutting engine all to- 

 gether, corn and straw, but mixed with beans, about 61bs. weight of 

 beans to a heaped bushel of the former to each horse per day. 

 The oat straw is thus wholly eaten up instead of hay, and the horses 

 were in irood working condition, and equal to their work. 



