176 
ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FARM HORSES. 
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 carboniferous portion is 
furnished, there will not be sufficient fuel to keep up the animal 
temperature. We must, therefore, endeavour to ascertain how far 
the various articles of horse provender supply the essential in- 
gredients required by the system. 
According to Professor Johnston and other of our best au- 
thorities on the subject, the following table will represent the 
nutritive qualities of the various articles used for horse food : — 
Water. 
Husk, or 
Woody 
Fibre. 
Starch, 
Gum, 
and 
Sugar. 
Gluten, 
Albumen, 
&c. 
Fatty 
Matter. 
Saline 
Matter. 
Oats 
16 
20 
45 
11 
6 
2-5 
Beans 
14 
8 to 11 
40 
26 
2*5 
3 
Peas 
14 
9 
50 
24 
2T 
3 
Indian corn . . . 
14 
6 
70 
12 
5 to 9 
1*5 
Barley .... 
15 
14 
52 
13-5 
2 to 3 
3 
Meadow hay . . . 
14 
30 
40 
71 
2 to 5 
5 to 10 
Clover hay . . . 
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 
6 
Barley straw . . 
12 to 15 
50 
30 
1-3 
. . 
5 
Carrots .... 
85 
3 
10 
1*5 
0*4 
1| to 2 
Swedes .... 
80 
3 
14 
2 
•3 
5 
Linseed .... 
9*2 
8 to 9 
35-3 
20*3 
20* 
6-3 
Bran 
13-1 
53-6 
2 
19*3 
4*7 
73 
From this table it will be perceived that the nutritious part of 
food consists of three portions, the nitrogenized or flesh making 
elements — the fat — and the gum, sugar, and starch. In estimating 
the relative value of horse food, I propose to consider separately 
the value of each of these kinds, and in so doing to take clover-hay 
for our standard of comparison : — 
Clover-hay, then, contains of starch, gum, and sugar, 40 lbs. 
„ „ fat .... 4 „ 
„ „ albumen, &c. . . 9 „ 
Making of nutritious elements 53 parts in 100 
