The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-06
AGRICULTURE. A

| WATER AND FOoD FOR HORsEs.-
Horses and cattle normally require, in
round numbers, four pounds of water
for each pound of dry substance In tho
food. while sheep require about two
pounds, or about half as much. This
| estimate, the result of many careful eX-
perlmentS, includes the water contain
cd In the food as we'll as that In the
drink. Tho amount of water needed
by pigs has not, l think, been accurate
| ly determined. With horses we find Il
ulHerent digestive arrangemcnt-one
that changes the conditions which were
suitable for ruminants to Il very impor-
| tant extent. Horses have but ono
stomach, and that relatively small it
contains, when fully distcndcd, but tlf-
teen to sixteen quarts, and in this con-
ditlon Is too full for the performance Of
its functions. Usually when digest
Ing the food the horses stomach does
not contain more than ten quarts, and
rs more food is eaten some Of the con-
tents pass onward into the intestlncs to
OF hay the stomach is filled two CT
three times. so the part first eaten can
remain but short time for digestion.
NOW, here Is n point of great impor-
tance. The albuminoids Of the food
are uigcstcd in the stomach and stOm-
achful of grain contains four to SIX
times as much OF these rs a stomachful
Of hay, consequently for q sufficient
quantity Of gastric juice to be mixed
with the grain, and produce its full cf-
feet requires much longer time than
with hay. If, then, we feed oats or
corn, and Immediately aftcrward hay,
we may be very certain that the grain
will be forced from the stomach before
10 fnyfl flu Il cfn,l C.>.> 4
tho hay first and then tho grain, it Is
not difficult to understand that the lat
ter can remain In the stomach Il sufil-
cicnt time. There is one advantage IN
mixing oats or ground feel Of any kind
with cut hay or straw, and that Is the
more perfect m0stication which the ami
mai gives in this case, but 1t Is doubt
ful If this advantage holds good with
cattle, us they do not chew their food
perfectly when eating, but rely on the
rumination which follows. In mixing
feed for horses we should not put Il
great amount Of coarse food with the
grain, or We will give more than the
stomach will hold, and the last portions
eaten will force the first ones into the
intcstincs before thoy arc thoroughly
,Impregnatcd with the gastric juice.
Thus, two pounds Of hay and four
pounds cf oats arc about rs much as
should be fed at once, when mixed, and
If more oats arc given the hay should
be decrcascd; for instance, five pounds
OF hay may be given. Now these facts
Will give us better understanding Of
tho ctlect of water on digestion. If, af-
ter feeding hay and then oats, we al.
low horse TO take n large drink of wa
ter, n considerable portion OF the oats
will be carried by the water into the in-
testfncs, and we get little of the adyan-
tagc of feeding the oats after tho hay
IL such drink Is taken soon after cat
ing hay alone, the effect will not be so
injurious, because hay does not need so
long time for digestion as grain. If
only one or two quarts of water are al
lowed 1t will pass the food in tho stoln-
ach without changing its position to any
great extent. When the stomach has
got rid of Il considerable part Of Its con-
tents it seems difficult matter for it to
force out tho remainder, and fermcnta-
tion and collie sometimes result q drink
OF water at such Il time, by carrying on
the substance which has remained long
enough, relieves the condition. This
probably explains why some horsc-car
companies have found it advisable to
have their horses watcrcd at midnight.
BCCKW1lEAT may be made profitable
upon piece of rough or newly-cleared
ground. No other crop is so elective
in mellowing rough cloddy land. The
seed In northern localities should be
sown before July 18th otherwise car
ly fall frosts may catch tho crops.
Grass and clover mag sometimes be
sown successfully with buckwhcat this
month.
TnK best way to raise good fodder
corn IS to put it In drills thirty two in
chcs apart. and give 1t two cultivatings.
This will give sun and mir, and produce
vigorous growth with deep green
foliage, growing some ears, which will
make the feed all the better. Corn and
millet may he cut at the same timo,
and will make better food for COWS If
mixed In the manger.
PURE drinking water is OF the first
Importance. More dangerous poisons
arc taken into the system with the wa
ter used, than in any other way. That
from brooks Is dangerous, AS wash from
matnrcd fields and soakagc from the
foil flows into them. Water from clear
wells and springs only should be given
to cattle, and If such precaution Is
needed for them, it is equally so for the
owners. Much avoldaDlc disease IS duo