A Cavalry Officer informed me, that, observing One Troop in his Regiment in much finer condition than the rest, he found, on inquiry, that it was occasioned by the Horses of that Troop drinking Soft water, while the others had Hard water.
HAY
Varies quite as much in Quality, as it does in Price—Clover grass is, by some, considered to be the best; whence the Proverb, “to Live in Clover.”
The Nose is your best guide in the choice of Hay. Good hard Hay has a quick and agreeable smell:—it is of great importance that Hay be good; if it is not, let a Horse eat as much as he will of it, he will be low and poor.
I am told that there is a great deception practised in Hay Markets: they take care that those Trusses in the Cart which are likely to be examined are good; but the main bulk of the Load is not always of equally good quality.
The Reader is recommended to deal regularly with the same Farmer, as the best security against the deceptions which it is said are sometimes practised in Markets.
When a Buyer endeavours to bate a Seller down below the regular market price, it may tempt a Seller to make himself amends, by putting up some Trusses of inferior Quality, if not of short Weight also.—Say to your Hay-salesman, “Now mind, I buy this as a load of Good Hay, and I shall not pay for it till I have unloaded it and found it all right.”
The fresher Hay is cut from the Stack the better: it soon turns soft and musty in a damp Hayloft, and in the course of a few weeks loses all its best Qualities.
Never lay Trusses of Hay upon each other: the best way to keep Hay from Damp and Moulding, is to set it up on its edge—so that a current of Air may circulate round it.
Go to Market in good time;—if you wait till your Stock is quite out, you must buy what you can.