Dec. 1, 1900.] Supplement to the ''Tropical Agriculturist," 
439 
PRACTICAL HINTS TO HORSE- 
OWNERS. 
By D. a. Chinniah, o.s.v.c. 
Chap. II. {continued).— Yoot) and Feeding. 
The question of quantity of food can only 
be decided on after considering the digestive 
capacity of the animal, his speed, amount and 
nature of work, and the climate in which lie 
is being used. The time of feeding must also to 
a great extent be regulated by the owner. 
It is not ndviyible to u^^e an animal much 
before two hours after feeding, as otherwise 
there will be a tendency to indigestion, and 
colic and other stomach troubles may result. In 
England horses are fed as frequently as four 
or five times a day,* but in Ceylon they are 
fed twice or at the most tiiree times. As 
digestion in hot climates is slow, frequent feeding 
is not advisable. A fact that is as a rule ignored 
is that the concentrated food (grain, pulses, &c.) 
requires more time to be digested than the 
natural herbaceous diet. It is quite common to 
see a muttu giving his horse an allowance 
of grass just after he has had his regular 
feed. This is not to be recommended. Let us 
for a minute consider the physiological functions 
of the horse's stomach in relation to digestion 
of food. The stomach of the horse is for its 
size the smallest among our domestic animals. 
The digestion of concentrated foods (grain Sec.) 
takes place mainly in the stomach itselF, and tlie 
time occupied in the process varies approxi- 
mately from 2^ to 3 hours. On the other hand 
the digestion of the bulky grass or hay takes 
place in the larger intestines, while the absorption 
of water is carried on in the colon. On these 
physiological facts are based the following rule 
as regards feeding : — First give water, second give 
the grass, and third give the grain. It may 
not always be convenient to adopt this sequence, 
but it is as well to instruct muttus not to give 
water or grass for about three hours after the 
concentrated food has been consumed. 
The main advantage of feeding horses on con- 
centrated food is that the capaciiyof the digestive 
canal is reduced, and that this allows of greater 
scope for the expansion of the lungs required by 
fast work. Ignorant of this fact, the hired-gharry 
muttu makes a point of stuifing his horse with 
grass during intervals of work, and in this way 
ruius its digestion. Overloading the intestines 
just before work impedes the action of the lungs 
and causes broken luincl, commnoly referred to as 
" panting.'' 
Visitors to Ceylon who spend the greater part 
of their time in plying about in hired gharries, 
know the inconvenience of being drawn by horses 
attached to these vehicles, and Prof. Wallace 
on a recent visit made special note of the "ruined 
digestions " of the common hired horses, caused 
itudoubtedly by the indiscriminate use of grass and 
water during intervals between work, As a result, 
some of these nnfortunate animals are found, to 
move with difficulty and discomfort to the 
accompaniment of natural barrel, organs withip 
SIE JOHN LAWES-HIS LIFE AND WORK- 
(Concluded-) 
About 130 papers liud reports on the Rothamsted. 
experiments have been published, most of them' 
in the joint name of Sir John Lawes and Sir 
Henry Gilbert. It would serve no purpose to 
enuraeriUe the different subjects treated of, 
suiSce it t,o say that much information of a useful 
character and founded upon the valuable data 
supplied at Rothamsted was given to tlie world 
in these papers. Sir John also contributed volu- 
minous piipers to the philosophical transactions 
of the Royal Society, the Journal of Chemistry 
and other Scientific Jouriuils, and drew up two 
valuable reports which were presented to 
Parliament. He also appeared on several occa- 
sions as a lecturer on agricultural and allied 
subjects. A few years ago the Rothamsted 
papers were collected in seven octavo volumes 
for presentation to various national institutions 
througliout the world. 
The unique feature of Rothamsted— which is 
the oldest Agricultural"Experimental Station in the 
world— is tlie long unbroken continuity of its 
investigations. It would have Jaeen nothing less 
than a national calamity had these ceased at the 
death of tlieir founder. Sir John Lawes must 
have felt this, for he foresax^ it, and with laudable 
munificeuce and ndmirable public spirit set asid 
a sum of £100,000 for their permanent cone 
tmuauce. The fund is administered by tht- 
Luves Agricultural Ti'ust Committee, the work of 
whicii began ten years ago, and will now go on 
uninterruptedly despite the lamentable "death 
of the donor. 
Prior to his death Sir John wns approached with 
the view of his occupying the office of President of 
the Royal Agricultural Society, but his advancing 
year^ and ih^i infirmities of age prompted him to 
decline the high honour. Among the muny honours 
that were bestowed on the late baronet, was the 
awarding of the Royal Medal jointly to himself 
and Dr. Gilbert by the Royal Society,' of which he 
was a member. In 1893, the year of the jubilee of 
the Rothamsted Experiment, a national monument 
was raised to Sir John Lawes, and the highest 
in the land joined to do honour to "one of 
the most disinterested as well as the most 
scientific of our public benefactors," who had 
laboured for fifty years for the cause of agri- 
culture. 
In concluding his excellent account of the life 
and work of Sir John Lawes, Dr. Fream pays 
the late baronet this handsome tribute : 
In his successsul efforts to wrest from the soil 
its secrets, Sir John Lawes established facts 
which were unknown— undreamt of, even— in the 
pre-Victoriau days, when he first began his ex- 
perimental inquiries. Many of the truths that 
he discovered have now become incorporated 
with^ the stock of common knowledge, and have 
benefited the agricultural practice of all pro- 
gressive countries. He worked, indeed, for mankind, 
and happily for the results, he was actuated 
throughout by an unswerving purpose. The fame 
of tlie Rotnamsted Station is worldwide, and 
yisitors from beyond th$ gea§ M-^re filways iift' 
