Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1852-10-21
FEEDING FARM HORSES.

FEEDING FARM HORSES.
The following is synopsis Of discus
sion and statements, respecting the feeding
of farm horses, before the "Highland Agrl-
cultural Society,": Scientific american.
Mr.. Gibson w Woolmet, said-In opening
the discussion upon the important subject
of Feeding of Farm Horses, may remark
that have generally found that those horses
bred upon the farm are more hardy, easier
kept. and less liable TO disease than those
brought from distance. In the winter sea-
son, young horses ought always to get due
proportion Of soft food, and be kept in a
roomy place, where they can take the ne
cessary exercise. They ought not 10 be put
to grass too early, and should be prepared
gradually for the change, and on no account
let them remain at grass too late in the sea-
son they should be carefully and frequent
Iy handled, and kindly trea,ed-if this be
attended to they will be easily trained to
work. When changing their teeth they have
difficulty in masIicating their food, which
should then be soft and nourishing to sup
port Them; if a, this period they are allow
ed to ge, into too low condition, it impov-
erishes the blood, checks their growth, and
renders them more liable to disease a, fu-
,ure periods. If it can be avoided, young
horses ought not to be put to work before
they are three years old, nor carled before
they are five, as the better they are treated
at this tender age the longer they will wear.
The system Of feeding adopt is as follows:
From the middle of October ill the end of
May my horses get one feed Of steamed food,
and two feeds Of oats daily, with the bes.
oat or wheat straw for fodder. The steamed
food used is well-washed Swedish turnips
and potatoes, in equal proportions, mixed
with sifled wheat chaff In those years when
we had total loss Of potatoes, Swedish tur-
nip alone was used, but not with the same
good effects as when mixed with potatoes.
At O'Clock in the morning each horse gels
6 lbs. weight Of bruised oats, at noon the
same quantity of oats, and at half-past P.
NJ, AZ lbs. weight of steamed food.
have acted upon this system for the last
fifteen years, having always bad from six
teen TO twenty horses.-Mr Bnnie, said,
from 1st October to 2Olh May, my horses
are fed thrice a-day the morning and mid
day feeds consist of Z lbs of oats and bruis-
ed beans each feed one part Of the la''er 10
TWO Of the former the evening feed is COM
posed of 35 lbs. turnips.sand 6 lbs. barley
we'll boiled together, only use wheat or oat
straw (uncut), as fodder. From 2Olh May
(when, by top-dressing, | have generally
cutting grass until 1st July) allow two
feeds Of oats and beans, as ] have before
men TONED, and as much cut grass as salts
fes the horse in stable during the day, and
turn him to the pasture for the night. From
1st July 10 lst October, find, on an aver
age, that my horses consume, as nearly as
can calculate, feed of oats each per day.
Mr.. Steedman, Boghall, said-My horses
get in the morning 5 lbs. of oats, along with
Two or three small swede ,urnips (raw and
the same a, IL o'clock, or dinner time; in
The morning the boiler is filled with Sc lbs.
Of lurnips, and 1-2 ID. Iinseed for each horse;
the linseed being difficult to boil, is put into
a small bag, and then placed in the middle
Of the boiler among the turni ps; after the
turnip ps and linseed are boiled, they are
thrown into a large trough or cooler, and q
lInle wheat chat1, along with handful OF
salt for each horse the weight Of the tur-
nips being Sc It's. when put into the boiler,
you will find reduced to about 40 lbs, a.
bout the half of this is given at dusk, or
whenever the horses return from work, and
the remainder at S o'clock, when the men
90 to clean and do them up for The night,
: Under this system, which | have adopted
for the last six years, | have found my hor-
ses healthy, in good orking condition, and
always fl. for work. Mr.. Black, Dalkei,h
> ssid-All the farm horses under my charge
are allowed Is lbs. hay, II lbs. of oats, and
2S lbs. of boiled turniPs per day, during
winter and spring. ] consider boiled tur.
nips, when given judiciously to cart horses
most palatable, nulricious, and gratifying
food, particularly TO young horses and no,
less so to those intended for coach or sad
die, than for farm work. Mr.. Scott, Craig
Iockhar,, agreed in the statement made by
the gentleman who had previously spoken
Professor Dick remarked that he approved
Of cooking The food, but the danger lay in
giving it in too large quantities at time
In the evening when the animals system
was somewha. exhausted, and the cooked
| food was easily swallowed, the stomach be-
came overloaded, and every farmer well
knew the consequence. 1t was most inju-
rious to horse 10 allow it to work on for
a number Of consecutive hours without food
. The stomach of the animal was small, con
> sequenlly could no, contain food sufficient
to enable it to work great portion of day
wlhou. a renewal of food and rest In con-
sequence of the structure of the animal, the
, stomach soon became empty, and when dis.
tended, either with food or by the wan. o
it, it was much in ured. A combination o
hay and oats chiefly would be found the
best kind of iood-though some though, i