Turnips, carrots, potatoes, and other roots, are generally washed before they are given. In some places, however, they are given with the mud about them, which I think is not a good practice. It is an unpleasant thing to hear the sand and mud grating on the horse's teeth, and it can not surely be very agreeable to him. When the roots are boiled without washing, a dirty mess is produced having little resemblance to food. It has been alleged that the earth is wholesome: but I rather think this is a discovery made by laziness. On some soils, the mud, when adhering to the roots in considerable quantity, has an effect slightly laxative. It may be desirable that the food should occasionally, but I should think not constantly, possess this property. I have never seen the mud do either good or ill. The horse at first seems soon tired of it, but at last he eats quite heartily. The sand may perhaps wear the teeth a little too fast.

The best machine for washing roots, such as potatoes and small turnips, is a sparred cylinder, set in a trough which is filled with water. A door in the cylinder admits the roots it is placed on axles, and turned by a crank.

Hay seed, when used as food, should always be washed. It contains a great deal of sand and dust, which are easily separated by throwing the seed into a tub of water, and stirring it about with the hand. The seed swims and the impurities fall to the bottom. To get rid of the water, skim off the seed into a sieve, or a tub having a perforated bottom, and let it drain there for ten minutes.