178 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ave., 1898. 
HOW HORSES DRINK. 
THEY ARE VERY PARTICULAR. 
EXPERIENCE shows that horses must not be allowed to drink freely before 
hard riding or driving; but this, too, is in keeping with their natural, or 
perhaps we should say their acquired, habits when originally wild. If, as is 
probably the case, the wild horses lived in the Central Asian steppes, like the 
kiang or Central Asian wild ass, water (says the Spectator) could never haye 
been plentiful; and, like the African antelopes and zebras, the originals of the 
species probably drank only once in twenty-four hours, going to considerable 
distances to obtain water. 
Another probable survivor is the horse’s dislike to drinking very cold 
water. It is commonly said that horses like pond water and “ dirty” water. 
Wie they really like is water with the chill off; cold spring water disagrees 
with them. 
Moreover, they are mighty particular as to the taste of their drinking 
water. Some years ago one of several horses refused to drink his water, and 
was at once pronounced to be “ill.”” This caused inquiry, and it transpired 
that one of the children had washed a guinea pig in this horse’s bucket. The 
horse would not drink the guinea pig’s bath water. 
In the same way cows, though less select in their choice of drinking 
water than desirable for those who consume their milk, dislike touching the 
water from tubs from which a dog has drunk, and will refuse it altogether if a 
dog has bathed in it. 
The Turks always aliow their horses to drink as much as they please, and 
when they please; and the Osmanli were always accustomed to make long 
journeys on horseback. But the more intelligent Arabs, than whom no race 
except the English has paid more attention to the subject, give their horses 
little water—a practice they follow themselves. A paste of flour, dates, a 
little water and camel’s milk are, among many tribes, the staple food for the 
desert horse. But we may say of him and his master, “The wilderness and 
the barren land are his dwelling ; he scorneth the multitude of the city.”” He 
is a born “abstainer,” even from excess in water drinking. — Farmer and Stock 
Breeder. 
A GOOD HOUSEHOLD REMEDY. 
Mrs. R. Lrrrrx, of Fernvale, has kindly sent us a household remedy for 
chapped hands and feet, burns, sores, &c. We do not make a practice of 
publishing recipes, because there are so many excellent ones suitable for 
various troubles to be found in the agricultural newspapers that we should but be — 
carrying coals to Newcastle by reproducing them. As the winter season now 
upon us promises to be a cold one, however, we give Mrs. Little’s recipe in the 
hope that it may prove of value to our readers :— 
“Into a clean, enamelled saucepan put 2 Ib. of very good lard (fresh pre- 
ferred), and take two handfuls of green, freshly-gotten Eucalyptus (gum 
or ironbark) leaves. Place the pan on a slow fire, and, as the lard melts, 
keep stirring at intervals till all the oil is out of the leaves. Then cool for ten 
minutes, strain and put away in covered jars for future use. 
“ This salve is recommended after an experience of thirteen years in the 
colony. It is a very cleanly, healthy salve for children’s sores, and the fly will 
not trouble them after two or three applications. Even a handful of Eucalyptus 
leaves in a tub of hot water has been proved to be very soothing to tired or 
