he average
stock raiser is to observe its taste, color, smell, and clearness. Pure
water is clear and is without taste or smell.

Chemical and microscopic examination will frequently be necessary in
order to detect the presence of certain poisons, bacteria, etc., and
can, of course, be conducted by experts only.

FEEDS AND FEEDING.

In this place one can not attempt anything like a comprehensive
discussion of the subject of feeds and feeding, and I must content
myself with merely giving a few facts as to the different kinds of feed,
preparation, digestibility, proper time of feeding, quality, and
quantity. Improper feeding and watering will doubtless account for more
than one-half the digestive disorders met with in the horse, and hence
the reader can not fail to see how very important it is to have some
proper ideas concerning these subjects.

KINDS OF FEED.

In this country horses are fed chiefly upon hay, grass, corn fodder,
roots, oats, corn, wheat, and rye. Many think that they could be fed on
nothing else. Stewart, in "The Stable Book," gives the following extract
from Loudon's Encyclopedia of Agriculture, which is of interest at this
point:

In some sterile countries they [horses] are forced to subsist
on dried fish, and even on vegetable mold; in Arabia, on milk,
flesh balls, eggs, broth. In India horses are variously fed.
The native grasses are judged very nutritious. Few, perhaps no,
oats are grown; barley is rare, and not commonly given to
horses. In Bengal a vetch, something like the tare, is used. On
the western side of India a sort of pigeon pea, called gram
(_Cicer arietinum_), forms the ordinary food, with grass while
in season, and hay all the year round. Indian corn or rice is
seldom given. In the West Indies maize, guinea corn, sugar-corn
tops, and sometimes molasses are given. In the Mahratta country
salt, pepper, and other spices are made into balls, with flour
and butter, and these are supposed to produce animation and to
fine the coat. Broth made from sheep's head is sometimes given.
In France, Spain, and Italy, besides the grasses, the leaves of
limes, vines, the tops of acacia, and the seeds of the carob
tree are given to horses.

We can not, however, leave aside entirely here a consideration of the
digestibility of feeds; and by this we mean the readiness with which
they undergo those changes in t