268 
Management of Farm-Horses. 
than those of the ox, but decidedly better adapted for grinding^ 
corn, as in a mill, for the teeth of the upper and lower jaws do 
not exactly correspond, but the teeth of the latter are narrower 
as well as the jaw itself, so that the lower jaw is moved from side 
to side, and the grain is thus triturated and ground, as between 
two mill-stones. 
With this information on the structure of the masticatory and 
digestive apparatus of the horse, it is impossible to arrive at the 
conclusion that such poor and bulky food as straw or roots is a 
wholesome and nutritious diet for working-horses. It is, indeed, 
as unwholesome and unnutritious as it is for inan to live en- 
tirehj on ])otatocs. With such food neither the quadruped nor 
the biped is capable of doing a fair day's work without great 
exhaustion. 
. Food, it Is well known, consists of two kinds, one carboniferous 
and devoid of nitrogen, whose use it is to keep up the animal 
warmth ; the other kind possessing nitrogen, and thus supplying 
the muscular system with the requisite nourishment. The usual 
forms of the latter are albumen and gluten; those of the 
former starch and sugar. It is essential, therefore, that the food 
of the horse should contain both these classes of elements ; 
unless the nitrogenized elements are supplied, the expenditure 
of muscular vigour cannot be replaced, and unless the car- 
boniferous portion is furnished there will not be sufficient fuel 
to keep up the animal temperature. We must, therefore, en- 
deavour to ascertain how far the various articles of horse pro- 
vender supply the essential ingredients required by the system. 
According to Professor Johnston and other of our best 
authorities on the subject, the following table will represent the 
nutritive qualities of the various articles used for horse food : — 
Water. 
Husk, or 
Woody 
Fibre. 
Starcli, 
Gum, 
and 
Sugar. 
Gluten, 
Albumen, 
&c. 
Fatty 
Matter. 
Saline 
Mutter. 
16 
20 
45 
11 
G 
2-5 
14 
8 to 11 
40 
26 
2-5 
3 
14 
9 
50 
24 
2-1 
3 
Indian corn . . 
14 
6 
70 
12 
5 to 9 
1-5 
Barley .... 
15 
14 
52 
13-5 
2 to 3 
3 
Meadow bay . ... 
14 
30 
40 
7-1 
2 to 5 
5 to 10 
Clover liay ... 
14 
25 
40 
9-3 
3 to 5 
9 
Pea straw . , 
10 to 15 
25 
45 
12-3 
1-5 
4 to 6 
Oat straw . . 
12 
45 
35 
1-3 
0-8 
C 
Barley straw 
12 to 15 
50 
30 
1-3 
5 
Carrots .... 
85 
3 
10 
1-5 
6-4 
li to 2 
Swedes .... 
80 
3 
14 
2 
•3 
5 
Ijiiiseed .... 
9-2 
8 to y 
35-3 
2U-3 
20- 
6-3 
Bran ..... 
13-1 
53 -C 
2 
l'J-3 
4-7 
7-3 
