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Peat and its Products » 
fresh straw for food. This object was attained with complete success. Tot 
experimental reasons the horses were not all placed on moss litter at once. 
In October one-third were placed on moss litter, in November two-thirds 
were placed on moss litter, and in December nearly all were placed on moss 
litter. 
The following advantages were observed : — Dry beds, and dry fresh air 
free from ammonia. The ceilings, walls, and leather trappings remained 
free from moisture and mould. Moss litter absorbs eight times its own 
weight of urine, whereas straw absorbs only three times its own weight. 
The short and broken nature of the moss fibre allows of the easy removal of 
the wet portions. Care must be taken not to neglect to turn and shake up 
the litter every da}-, and to fork it from one part of the stall to another. 
If these precautions are observed the animals find a dry bed, the horses 
remain clean, and their skin maintains its activity. If properly treated, 
moss litter is far more elastic than straw, and affords more comfortable 
bedding. The harness and saddles, as well as the boots of our soldiers, are 
better preserved. 
From a veterinary point of view, further advantages are observed. 
Catarrhs of the nose and eyes, generally the result of bad air in the stables, 
are less frequent ; wounds on the legs heal more quickly; inflammation of 
the glands very seldom occurs, and rotting of the frog is almost entirely pre- 
vented. In cases of contagious disease moss litter is of great value, and 
surpasses all other disinfectants. 
Cases of colic occurred as follow : — 
October 1881 . 
of horses on moss 
1 
\ on straw 
. 14 
November 1881 
JZ 
0 
i 
. 21 
December 1881 
Nearly all „ 
1 
A few on straw 
. 1 
January and February 
1883 
All 
0 
On moss . 
2 
On straw 
. 36 
The consumption of moss litter per month and per squadron of 135 
horses amounted to 180 cwt., against 280 cwt. of straw formerly required. 
Up to this date, in all a period of eighteen months, the regiment had 
used moss litter to its perfect satisfaction. 
Herr Vibrans, of Wendhausen, has published in several 
periodicals his experience of moss litter as a 'preventive of foot and 
mouth disease. For this purpose he uses moss litter and “ mull ” 
mixed with superphosphate, and has obtained the most satis- 
factory results. He reports that the disease did not appear at 
all among his cattle, while on all the neighbouring farms it 
spread to an alarming extent. He therefore recommends its 
use in railway cattle trucks. 
Peat Dust, or “ Midi .” — The smaller particles, which are 
separated from moss peat when it passes through the “ Wolf” 
and the sieves used in the manufacture of moss litter, are col- 
lected and reduced to a powder known as “ Torfmull.” This 
product has obtained a market for various purposes, and sells at 
about Is. 3(/. per cwt. No statistics of any kind are available, 
