at the grass. Of course
they do not get sufficient in this way, but they do much better than
one would suppose.

In Utah and New Mexico the autumn is so dry that the grass does not
lose its nutritious properties by being washed with rains. It gradually
dries and cures like hay, so that animals eat it freely, and will
fatten upon it even in mid-winter. It is seldom that any grain is fed
to stock in either of these territories.

Several of the varieties of grass growing upon the slopes of the Rocky
Mountains are of excellent quality; among these may be mentioned the
Gramma and bunch grasses. Horses and mules turned out to graze always
prefer the grass upon the mountain sides to grass of the valleys.

We left New Mexico about the first of March, six weeks before the new
grass appeared, with 1500 animals, many of them low in flesh, yet they
improved upon the journey, and on their arrival in Utah were all, with
very few exceptions, in fine working condition. Had this march been
made at the same season in the country bordering upon the Missouri
River, where there are heavy autumnal rains, the animals would probably
have become very poor.

In this journey the herds were allowed to range over the best grass
that could be found, but were guarded both night and day with great
care, whereas, if they had been corraled or picketed at night, I dare
say they would have lost flesh.[3]

[3] Some curious and interesting experiments are said to have
been recently made at the veterinary school at Alfort, near
Paris, by order of the minister of war, to ascertain the powers
of endurance of horses. It appears that a horse will live on
water alone five-and-twenty days; seventeen days without eating
or drinking; only five days if fed and unwatered; ten days if fed
and insufficiently watered. A horse kept without water for three
days drank one hundred and four pounds of water in three minutes.
It was found that a horse taken immediately after "feed," and
kept in the active exercise of the "squadron school," completely
digested its "feed" in three hours; in the same time in the
"conscript's school" its food was two thirds digested; and if
kept perfectly quiet in the stable, its digestion was scarcely
commenced in three hours.

SADDLES.

Great diversity of opinion exists regarding the best equipment for
horses, and the long-mooted question is as yet ver