100 



FIRST CLASS OF THE VERTEBRATED ANIMALS. 



it may be interesting to compare his results with those already given of the Swedish 

 investigator. 



Can eat 



1^ very fond of , 



Sometimes eats 



TalvGs in all 

 Refuses . . 



Goat. 



Shetip. 



Bull. 



Horse. 



Hog. 



547 



408 



311 



268 



86 



28 



81 



121 



113 



36 



32 



33 



70 



39 



23 



607 



ft22 



602 



420 



145 



83 



133 



183 



235 



169 



690 



655 



685 



655 



314 



Total Plants examined . 



Many plants are wholly refused by all animals. Among the principal of these 

 growing in marshy places we may notice the following: The Common Butterwort 

 {ringuicula viiJguTis)^ Common-hooded Milfoil (Utricularia vulgaris), Forget-me- 

 Not (Mj/osotis pabistris), Perfoliate Pond- Weed (^Potamogcton perfoliatum). 

 Long-leaved Cowbane {Cicnta vh'osa), the Long-leaved Sun- Dew (Drosera Inngi- 

 folia), the Round-leaved Sun-Dew (i>. rotundifolia), Water-Pepper {Pohjgonum 

 Hi/droplper), Sweetflag {Acorus caJainus), V^^a.ter Crov:?oot {Ranunculus aqitatilia), 

 G:eat Spearwort (i?. Ungua), and Water Milfoil (^MyriopUijlhmi spicatmn). 



There are several other plants which either grow in somewhat moist pastures or in 

 the shade, and are likewise refused by all cattle. These are the Common Thorn- 

 apple {Datura Stramonium), Common Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger). Black-berried 

 Nightshade (Solanum nigrum), Dwarf-Elder (Samhucits Ebulus), Mountain Dryas 

 (Dryas octopetala). Black Horehound (Ballota nigra). Common White Horehound 

 (Marruhium vulgare). Impatient Lady's SmoeU {Cardamine impatiens). Common 

 Celandine (Chelidonhnn majus), and the Blue Erigeron {Erigeron acre). It must 

 be noticed, however, that many of these plants, when very young, are sometimes 

 cropped by the cattle without inconvenience, while some even of the most nutritious 

 plants are refused when in grain, from their perfume being too strongly diffused. 

 After the animals have endured a long continued fast, their discrimination in these 

 respects is not so nice ; and the climate may occasion some further differences. Thus, 

 the young sprouts of the Wolf's-Bane and Hemlock become esculent even for Man 

 in the North of Europe, where their deleterious properties are not sufficiently developed 

 to become hurtful. 



Some plants are often eaten by the cattle while green and fresh, and yet are gene- 

 rally refused by them if offered in a dry or faded state. These are Cock's-Comb 

 (Rldnanthns crista-gaUi), the Horse- Tails (Eqnisetum), the Bedstraws {Galium) — 

 which spoil the Hay, and the Common Buckbean {Menyanihes trifoliata) ; while 

 others, such as the Crowfoots {Raminculus), and Swallow- Worts {Asclepias), lose 

 their injurious properties when dried, and in that state are eaten by the cattle with- 

 out inconvenience. Others serve as seasoning, such as the Garlics {Allium), and 

 the Docks {Rumex), either of which may be used occasionally as a stimulant or cor- 

 rective; while the Cotton- Grasses {Eriophorum), and some others, become hurtful 

 from their hairs, which serve as a nucleus to those dangerous a?gagropiles or concre- 

 tions, sometimes found in the first stomach of the domestic Ruminants. 



There are also a great number of plants eaten without inconvenience by the Goat, 

 a.nd even greedily sought after by that animal, while they are refused by all other 

 cattle. The principal are the Common Mare's-tail {Hippuris vulgaris). Common 

 Pricklv-Seed {Echinospermitm Lappula), the Greater Water-Planlain {Alisvia 

 Plantago) — highly detrimental to all other domestic animals, the AVood Anemone 

 {Anemone nemoralis), that of the meadows {A. pi'atensis)^ the Spring Anemone 

 (A. vernalis). Celery- leaved Crowfoot {Ranunculus scelerutus), the Knotty-rooted 

 Figwort {Scrap hula j'ia nodosa), and Tamepoison {Asch'pias vincetoxicum), of which 

 it is extremely fond. The last mentioned plant can be eaten by the Horse, only after 

 it has been killed by the frost. To these we may add, the Small AVater-Wort 

 {Eldtlne Hydropiper), Box-leaved Andromeda {Andromeda calyculata). Biting 

 Stonecrop (S'ecfwm acre), Snapdragron {A7itirrhinum linaria). Stinking Camomile 

 {Anthemis cotula), Blaek-berried Bryony {Bryonia alba), Marsh Lousewort {Pedi- 

 cularis palustrts), that of the woods {P. sylvatica). Hemp Agrimony {Eupatorium 

 cannabinwn), the Annual Mercury {Mercurialis annua), which is poisonous to all 

 other animals, according to Ray and Linnseus, the Corn Horsetail (Equisetum. ar- 

 vense), that of the marshes {E. palustrc), and the J\lale Polypody {Pohjpodium filix 

 vias ) . 



Some plants are eaten solely by the Hog, and it is often only their roots that are 

 sought after. The chief of these plants are the Common Cyclamen {C. EuropcEum, 

 Common Asarabacca (Asuriini Europa:inn), the White Water Lily {Nyniphaa alba), 

 and the yellow (A'^. lutea), for which the Horse exhibits a marked aversion, the 

 Water Soldier {Stratiotcs uloides), Sea Wrack-Grass {Zostera mai-ina), and Maid- 

 en Hair {Asplenium trichomancs). 



A few plants are very much sought after by all cattle, and almost with equal avidity. 

 These are the Common Millet-Grass {Millium effusutn). Meadow Soft-Grass {Hoi- 

 cus lanatus). Annual Meadow- Grass {Poa minna), Oats, Barley, and Wheat, the 

 Carrot and Parsnip, the Great Round-leaved Willow {SuUx-caprta), the Norwegian 

 Cinquefoil {Poteniilla Norvegica). Also, the Creeping Trefoil, the Common Lu- 

 cerne, and Sainfoin. But many of these plants must be in different states, in order 

 to be liked equally by the several species of cattle. 



On considering the entire vegetable kingdom in a general manner, we find that 

 scarcely any Acotyledonous plants are fitted for the maintenance of cattle. In- 

 deed, if we exclude the Grasses, nearly all of which may be used for this purpose, 

 we find but few even among the Monocotyledonous plants. It is unquestionably in 

 the Dicotyledonous class that the greatest number of useful materials for this purpose 

 are to be found. 



The following natural families are arranged according to the order of their utility 

 for food to cattle : — The Graminete, Leguminosa;, Cruciferee, Rosacese, Amentaceae, 

 UmbelliferEB, Cucurbitaceee, and Polygoneae. 



The best Hay is afforded by the more elevated meadows, and its quality depends 

 greatly upon the cai*e with which it has been dried. In this avticle quahty is much 



more important than quantity ; for a stone of good Hay. well selected, and carefully 



dried, affords more nutriment than several stones of coarse or ill prepared material, 



a matter to which sufficient attention is not always paid. The exposure to the sun or 

 air, during its making into Hay, always occasions grass to lose some portion, more or 

 less considerable, of its nutritive substance, which is evaporated along with the watery 

 matter. New Hay often occasions indigestion, and it should not be given to cattle 

 for several months after being made, at which time it is entirely deprived of its un- 

 combined aqueous substance. 



Straw should be considered rather as a useful kind of ballast proper to be mixed 

 with the really nutritive food of the domestic animals, than as a substantial nourish- 

 ment. The best quality is fine, white, short, and massive. It is often advantageous 

 to have it chopped and even moistened. 



Dried leaves, as well as the small branches of a great number of trees, shrubs, and 

 bushes, may sometimes form a useful substitute for straw or hay, when the latter 

 cannot be easily procured. The Elm, the Mulberry tree, the Ash, the Hornbeam 

 (Carptmts betulus), the Lime trees {Tilia), the Common Maple and Sycamore 

 {Acer), the Common Acacia {Rohinia psevdacacia), the Willows, the Poplars, the 

 Birches. Beeches, Planetrees, Chestnuts, Oaks, Dogwood {Cornus), Hazel (Co- 

 rylus). Furze ( Vlex), and the Vine, are frequently used for this purpose on the 

 Continent, in places where they h.ippen to be plentiful. The same substances, if 

 given in their green state, may also replace the newly-mown grass of the meadows ; 

 but they should always be administered with caution, and with a due attention to 

 their effects, which vary according to the species, as well as in their several states of 

 vegetation. The green leaves of a tolerably large number of vegetables are annually 

 cultivated on a large scale, either as food for Man or for Cattle ; such are the leaves 

 of the Maize, Beet-root, Cabbage, Carrot, Parsnip, Potato, and some others, all of 

 which may be used for this purpose in many cases with advantage. 



Roots, or rather their tuberous appendages, which are often very large and volu- 

 minous, such as those of the Parsnip, Carrot, Beet-root, Potato, Jerusalem Arti- 

 choke, and Turnip, are frequently superior to any of the substances already mentioned 

 as a daily article of food for cattle, and many comparative trials have clearly sliown 

 that they are in general much more profitable. 



Seeds, grains, or fruits, contain, of all the parts of a plant, the largest quantity of 

 nutritive substance under the smallest bulk. They ought to be given judiciously and 

 sparingly to cattle, from their being in general very costly, and there are some other in- 

 conveniences to which their frequent use may give rise. Sometimes they are ground, 

 broken, or prepai'ed in diffi'rent ways in order to render them more digestible and 

 economical. The principal seeds used for the food of the domestic animals are also, 

 in great part, furnished by the useful families of the Gramines and LeguminosEe. 

 Other farinaceous fruits, procured from some of the remaming families, are occasion- 

 ally added to these ; such as the Buckwheat {Poly gonmn Fagopyr urn), the Chest- 

 nut, Horse-chestnut, and Acorn, as well as the oleaginous seeds of cruciferous plants, 

 especially of some varieties of the Cabbage, and Gold-of-pleasure {Camelina). To 

 these may be added, the seeds of Flax, Hemp, some species of Poppy ; also Beech- 

 nuts and WalnutSj or rather their refuse, and some other fruits less common or im- 

 portant. IMost of these, however, have the inconvenience of imparting to the flesh 

 of the animals fed thereon an odour and taste by no means agreeable. In respect to 

 the bran or husk of grains, it is nourishinfr only when it contains some flour mixed 

 therewith, for the outer rind itself is not only destitute of nutriment, but very indi- 

 gestible, and often injurious. 



Herbivorous animals are wholly overcome by famine, while caraivorous animals 

 are more easily vanquished by an excess of their food. Long-continued hunger ex- 

 asperates the latter, and renders them furious, while many striking instances are 

 known of the most ferocious animals being wholly tamed by an abundant supply of 

 food, united to other precautions. 



Exercise, to which but little attention is commonly paid, is a su^ect requiring 

 almost an equal degree of consideration with that of their food. By this term we 

 commonly understand the amount of bodily motion necessary to maintain the proper 

 circulation of the fluids, and to impart that degree of activity w^hich the natural con- 

 dition of their body requires. Exercise is the contrary of repose, and without either 

 of these, the animal machine would soon be destroyed. It greatlv assists the insen- 

 sible transpiration, the most abundant of all the secretions, and keeps off a number 

 of diseases depending upon the superabundance of the fluids, their impurity, or stagna- 

 tion, enlargements or obstructions of the viscera. Far from diminishing. the animal 

 forces, it reanimates them ; a languishing appetite is restored, and the consequences 

 of exercise are reflected throughout the entire vital economy. 



The influence of exercise upon fecundity and longevity are not less remarkable. 

 Very fat animals are often unfruitful, while a long-continued repose frequently leads 

 to obesity, which again induces impotence, and often death. These are not the only 

 consequences of a continual want of exercise. Their limbs are deprived of that play 

 and spring necessary in preserving all the parts of the body in their state of health. 



Exercise should, however, be regular and moderate. Very violent labour may 

 affect all the organs, and render the stature diminutive ; hence all excess in this 

 respect should be avoided if possible, especially during the growing period of life. 



The domestic animals also require much attention in respect to their lodgings. 

 When in their wild state, they are constantly in the open air ; in their domesticated 

 condition they are often abstracted from it. This essential difference necessarily af- 

 fects the conditions of their existence ; and, in proportion as they are brought nearer 

 to their natural state, their health becomes improved, while an opposite course of 

 treatment may be attended with the most fatal consequences. 



Our most useful domestic animals are often confined in narrow stables, which are 

 perhaps rather injurious than beneficial, from their vicious construction or pernicious 

 arrangement. A knowledge of these defects has suggested to some rural economists 

 the idea of exposing their cattle continually in the open air ; but these persons do 

 not perceive, that in avoiding one error, they fall, as frequently happens, into an- 

 other not less important. When in their wild state, animals ai-e always in the open 

 air J it is true ; but it does not follow that they are continually exposed to the weatft&'j 



