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ON THE

STEAMING OF POTATOES,

AS A

SUBSTITUTE FOR HAY,

IN THE

FEEDING OF WORK HORSES.

2

ON THE

STEAMING OF POTATOES,

&c. &c. &c.

In October, 1801, I commenced the experiment of feeding work horses with steamed potatoes. The first attempt was made without any mixture of cut straw; but finding the horses had some difficulty in masticating the potatoes, an addition of a sixth part of cut straw was made, which not only removed that inconvenience, but was found to answer a further beneficial purpose, by counteracting the too rapid digestion of the food.

This, as with almost every material change from long established custom, was the result of necessity, not of choice. The failure of the hay crop in the northern parts of England and Ireland, occasioned considerable alarm to all persons who were under the necessity of keeping a number of horses.

Hay was sold in July and August, at from 81. to 101. per ton; a further and still more serious cause of anxiety arose from there being every reason to believe, that no considerable supply could be obtained at those or any other prices.

Alarmed by a danger which threatened to affect, so materially, the public interest, as well as my own, my

attention

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attention was imperiously called to devise some expedient for providing against the serious consequences which might reasonably be apprehended.

In the dilemma in which I found myself placed, (having a hundred work horses to feed, the greatest part of which were employed in my collieries), it fortunately occurred to me, that potatoes might be used as a substitute for hay. What led to this idea was, my having, for some years, given a portion of them to my hounds, mixed with their other food. I had indeed made the attempt fifteen years before, but without success. Subsequent experience has proved this arose from the neglect and inattention of the persons who had the superintendance of it, who, to save themselves trouble, boiled the potatoes with the meat by which means they were entirely consumed. I then attributed the ill condition of my hounds to the liquor extracted from the potatoe, which I believed to be of a poisonous nature. This opinion I have found to be erroneous, and adopted, as many opinions are, upon

I have since caused an experiment to be made, by giving the potatoe liquor to a horse, the result of which I shall add with other remarks.

The difficulties I had to encounter were numerous ; I had to contend agailist the prejudices of every person employed; it was the opinion of one against many ; the many were those who were to act against their own judginent; and in more than one instance I found the effect of it.

Sone potatoes which had been injured by the frost were made use of; these the horses would not eat;

and

trust.

a

and the project would have been entirely condemned, if, by chance, I had not discovered the cause. This occurred in the commencement, when I was obliged to be a few days from home. It proved the necessity of my constant and unremitting personal attention. For some months I dedicated a very considerable portion of my time to the superintendance of it. I notice this, to prove to others, who may be disposed to adopt this mode of feeding, the necessity they will be under, of either giving their own attention, or procuring a person acquainted with it, to secure its success.

In addition to the impediments which arose from prejudice, I had much to contend with in getting the potatoes washed and steamed, having no apparatus for

that purpose.

It was

Notwithstanding all the discouraging circumstances and vexatious occurrences which I had to encounter, they were vanquished by unremitting perseverance and attention. That I succeeded, must be in a great measure, if not entirely attributed to the imperious necessity which left no room for option. brought to this alternative, potatoes, or--nothing.

The first season was the period of greatest difficulty ; previous to a second, I was provided with an apparatus for performing all the operations with ease and dispatch, the former trial had also firmly established

my

conviction of the utility and advantage of the plan, and had, in some measure, overcome the prejudices of the persons employed.

Under less pressing circumstances, I do not think it would have been carried into effect. In the first

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season

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