292 
STRAW FODDER. 
endurance. If they were fed with oats instead of 
corn, we have no doubt that the same blood would 
produce superior animals; for oats make good 
muscle ; com, fat loose flesh. Good, well-developed 
muscle (lean flesh) constitutes the main strength 
of any animal. South, and in the middle states, 
it is either the high-spirited racer on the one hand, 
or the slow, heavy-moving Dutch horse, on the 
other. To these there are some exceptions, the 
best of which are undoubtedly the Messenger, 
Mambrino, and Bellfounder stock of this vicin¬ 
ity, crossed upon roomy, well-bred country mares. 
Yet this blood, we regret to say, owing to the 
carelessness of our countrymen, and great indiffer¬ 
ence to breeding good roadsters, is nearly extinct; 
and what little there is left of it, is appreciated 
only by the few. We do not scruple to add, that 
a better farm and road-stock than is embraced in 
the above blood, never existed; and as a proof of 
it, seven eighths of the mongrel dunghills that are 
standing throughout the country, from one dollar 
up to five, are called “ Young ” Messengers, Mam- 
brinos, Bellfounders, or Durocs. The pedigrees in 
their flaming handbills, let us inform the uninitia¬ 
ted, are a “ caution” to all readers. The quizzical 
editor of the Spirit of the Times, once promised to 
give the public an epitome of them; we hope that 
he will soon make good his pledge. They usually 
begin in this manner:— 
“Young Messenger, sired by Old Messenger, 
him by that famous, well-known horse, Old Eclipse, 
that beat Henry, that run a mile in one minute.” 
They do not usually say who they are damned* 
by; but if they have any doubts on this subject 
hereafter, they may add—by all admirers of good 
stock in general, and the American Agriculturist 
in particular. 
Why it is that our farmers are so careless in the 
breeding of good horses, we can not divine; for a 
superior carriage-horse always commands a hand¬ 
some price, and is of quick sale. We have looked 
over several hundred pairs of horses brought to 
this city for sale within the past six months, and 
there were scarce ten really prime ones 16 hands 
high among them. These brought from $700 to 
$800 the pair readily, and $600 is the very lowest 
price on an average that may be expected for them. 
The dealers usually calculate upon an advance of 
$200 for breaking, and risk and expense of mar¬ 
keting, which, considering the many mishaps 
which occur, is none too much. Estimating the 
average price, then, of good carriage-horses at 
* For a humorous explanation of this term, see a quotation 
from John Randolph, page 171 of this paper, col. 2d, Sept. No. 
$600 per pair, and deducting $200 for marketing, 
it leaves $400 to the farmer, which makes it a fair 
business, and well worth his bestowing more at¬ 
tention than he now does on the blood and rearing 
of this most serviceable animal to man. We wish 
the money that is annually thrown away upon race¬ 
horses, could be devoted to the breeding of good 
roadsters; how much better it would be for the 
country, we need not add. 
STRAW FODDER. 
In our October No. we took occasion to speak 
of the value for fodder of even so poor an arti¬ 
cle as buckwheat straw is generally considered. 
Oat, rye, and wheat straw, are much superior. In 
consequence of the early and unusually deep snows 
which have fallen this month and the past, the 
root crops have not been saved as well as usual, 
nor in as large quantities; and although hay is 
abundant, the farmers before spring, may find 
themselves shorter in their fodder than they an¬ 
ticipated. We recommend, therefore, that they 
husband all their straw carefully, as it is thrashed; 
and if there be any danger of a want of fodder, ob¬ 
tain cutting-machines, and have it cut up, then 
slightly moistened in the heap, and a small quan¬ 
tity of shorts, bran, oil or other meal, with a slight 
sprinkling of salt added to it. These additions 
make the stock relish the straw well, eat it with 
avidity, and thrive admirably upon it, especially 
if the animals are of a good breed. 
Let it be recollected that the chief food of Eng¬ 
lish stock throughout the winter, is straw with a 
few roots. The celebrated Bakewell kept a part 
of his animals in good heart on straw alone for 
several months every season ; but his breed was 
superior, and to this circumstance a part of its 
merit must be attributed. Coarse, ill-bred animals 
are a loss under any circumstances, and the greater 
part of the food which is given them goes to 
waste; it matters little, therefore, whether it be 
grain, roots, hay, or straw; for all, or either of these 
articles will bring more in market than the growth 
or accumulation of flesh of the animals to which 
they are feed. We wish that some of our readers 
would make an experiment on the value of wheat, 
oat, and rye straw, in feeding this winter, and com¬ 
municate the same to us. The straw should be 
evenly thrashed, and fed at the same time to three 
distinct lots of animals, as near alike as possible. 
The straw must be weighed, the animals also at 
the time of beginning to feed them, and again 
when the experiment is finished, so as to ascertain 
their exact gain or loss. The trouble of making 
