894 
G. E. GRIFFIN. 
MOLASSES AS A FOOD FOR ARMY HORSES. 
By G. E. Griffin, D. V. S., Vft. Artieefry Corps, U. S. A., Fort 
Sheridan, Iee. 
While serving with the 5th Cavalry in Porto Rico, 1898 to 
1901, it was observed that the natives used considerable mo¬ 
lasses in the feeding of their ponies. On inquiring into the 
reasons we were informed that the corn of the country was 
small, hard, scarce and expensive, oats had to be imported, hay 
was an unknown quantity, it being practically impossible to 
cure grass in a country where the rainfall was so great and' fre¬ 
quent, besides, as vegetation flourishes the year through, grass 
in large quantities was always obtainable, although of a coarse 
variety and containing 85 per cent, of water. 
Grass as fed is cut early in the morning, made into bundles 
of from ten to fifteen pounds, transported on ox carts to the 
neighboring towns and there retailed for a small sum to the 
horse owners. An unlimited supply of this grass is allowed to 
the horse, it, however, being cut or chopped into short lengths 
first. In addition to this, where molasses is obtainable (and it is 
very plentiful in this sugar-raising country) and cheap enough, 
it is added to the drinking water and the animal allowed to par¬ 
take of it in large quantities; all of the ponies do good work on 
this ration and endure surprisingly the hard usage and brutal 
abuse to which they are subject by the native Porto Rican and 
' the Spaniard, who are seemingly devoid of mercy where horse¬ 
flesh is concerned. The question suggested itself, why not feed 
army animals in this manner? 
Through the kindness of Colonel Clem, Chief Quartermaster 
of the then Department of Porto Rico, a money allowance of $80 
was placed at our disposal for the purchase of molasses for the 
purposes of the experiment. 
Six troop horses and two private horses were selected for the 
feeding experiment, which was inaugurated on the first day of 
January, 1899, and continued until May 31, same year. 
In carrying out the experiment I was ably assisted by a de- 
