254 Next to the Ground 



seeds thus ripened are not taken away from 

 the soil. They sow themselves evenly over 

 it, thus perpetuating pasturage no matter 

 what the weather. Further, the mulch of 

 dried grass saves from drought and from 

 freezes, conserves from sun-killing, and in 

 time decays to furnish anew vegetable mould. 

 Altogether, there is a mighty fine case to be 

 made for the practice, and though " much 

 might be said on the other side," experience 

 and theory jump so well together, the practice 

 is likely to endure a long time. 

 • A horse's muzzle is as sensitive and nearly 

 as deft as a blind man's finger tips. It serves 

 him indeed in place of fingers, also for things 

 where fingers would avail nothing. The 

 muzzle is as soft as velvet — especially upon 

 the upper lip. When a horse plunges his 

 muzzle into a heaped manger and scours all 

 about the bottom of it, it is not through greed 

 but through caution. He is searching out 

 inequalities — knot, splinter, snag, or nail, so 

 he may not break his teeth upon them nor 

 hurt his tongue and lips. He eats, turning 

 his head first on one side then the other, 

 licking up a mess of ground feed, or grinding 

 sturdily himself any sort of whole grain, as 

 he grinds hay and grass. Thus he records 

 his age, up to nine years in his mouth. After 

 nine, his teeth are so smooth all over the 



