DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. ‘b1 
FEEDS AND FEEDING. 
In this place one can not attempt anything like a comprehensive 
discussion of the subject of feeds and feeding, and I must content my- 
self with merely giving a few facts as to the different kinds of feed, 
preparation, digestibility, proper time of feeding, quality, and quan- 
tity. Improper feeding and watering’ will doubtless account for more 
than one-half the digestive disorders met with in the horse, and hence 
the reader can not fail to see how very important it is to have some 
proper ideas concerning these subjects. 
KINDS OF FEED. 
In this country horses are fed chiefly upon hay, grass, corn fodder, 
roots, oats, corn, wheat, and rye. Many think that they could be fed 
on nothing else. Stewart, in “The Stable Book,” gives the following 
extract from Loudon’s Encyclopedia of Agriculture, which is of 
interest at this point: 
_ In some sterile countries they [horses] are forced to subsist on dried fish, and 
even on vegetable mold; in Arabia, on milk, flesh balls, eggs, broth. In India 
horses are variously fed. The native grasses are judged very nutritious. Few, 
‘perhaps no, oats are grown; barley is rare, and not commonly given to horses. 
In Bengal a vetch, something like the tare, is used. On the western side of 
India a sort of pigeon pea, called gram (Cicer arietinum), forms the ordinary 
food, with grass while in season, and hay all the year round. : Indian corn or 
rice is seldom given. In the West Indies maize, guinea corn, sugar-corn tops, 
and sometimes molasses are given. In the Mahratta country salt, pepper, and 
other spices are made into balls, with flour and butter, and these are supposed 
to produce animation and to fine the coat. Broth made from sheep’s head is 
sometimes given. In France, Spain, and Italy, besides the grasses, the leaves 
of limes, vines, the tops of acacia, and the seeds of the carob tree are given to 
horses. 
We can not, however, leave aside entirely here a consideration of 
the digestibility of feeds; and by this we mean the readiness with 
which they undergo those changes in the digestive canal that fit 
them for absorption and deposition as integral parts of the animal 
economy. 
The age and health of the animal will, of course, modify the diges- 
tibility of feeds, as will also the manner and time of harvesting, pre- 
serving, and preparing. 
In the horse digestion takes place sceenelies in the intestines, and 
here, as in all other animals and with all feeds, it is found that a 
certain part only of the provender is digested; another portion is 
undigested. This proportion of digested and undigested feed must 
claim passing notice at least, for if the horse receives too much feed, 
or bulky feed containing much indigestible waste, a large portion of 
it must pass out unused, entailing not only the loss of this unused 
feed, but also calling for an unnecessary expenditure of vital force on 
