24 Stable Management and the Prevention of Disease 



in spite of its coarse, indigestible stalk, unless it be first 

 dried for two or three days in a hot sun. 



Grass from Swamps. 



It should be an invariable rule never to feed horses upon 

 grass grown in swamps, on account of the numerous lower 

 forms of animal and vegetable life found in stagnant water. 

 Horned cattle living on swampy land are particularly liable 

 to anthrax, and there is no doubt but that the very fatal 

 disease, called in India Loodiana fever (a form of anthrax), is 

 often caused by horses either drinking stagnant water or 

 eating grass grown in it. Worm in the eye also appears to 

 be produced in the same way. 



Making Hay. 



During the rainy season there are some days in which the 

 rain falls in such torrents that it is impossible for the grass- 

 cutters to go out. As a provision against such occasions, or 

 against the chance of failure of grass, it is customary in many 

 batteries and regiments to make the men bring in an extra 

 daily quantity of grass when it is plentiful. This is dried, 

 and made into ricks. Of course it is not to be compared 

 with proper hay. That which is cut at the early part of the 

 rainy season is immature, and contains little nourishment ; 

 that which is collected some weeks after the rains have 

 ceased is little better than straw, owing to most of the nutri- 

 tive constituents having been expended in forming the seed, 

 and the sap remaining in the stalk having turned into woody 

 fibre. Then again, as the grass, after being dried, is added to 

 the rick in small quantities daily, it does not, what is called 

 in England, heat — that is, it does not undergo the slight 

 fermentative process by which the dextrine of the sap, as in 

 properly made hay, is converted into sugar, while various 

 aromatic properties are developed. 



Unfortunately at most stations the grass is cut from -waste 

 pieces of ground, or from the lands of the native farmers, 

 often without their consent, and is consequently procurable 



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