The husbandman, farmer and grasier's compleat instructor. Containing choice and approved rules, and directions for breeding, feeding, chusing, buying, selling, well ordering and fatning bulls, cows, calves, rams, ews, lambs, swine, goats, asses, mules, &c. : How to know the several diseases incident to them, by their signs and symptoms, with proper remedies to cure them; : as likewise all griefs, and sorrances what-ever. : Also, a treatise of dogs, and conies, in their breeding, ordering, and curing the distempers they are subject to. : To which is added, The experienced vermine-killer, in particular directions, for taking and destroying all sorts of vermine in houses, out-houses, fields, garden, graneries, and other places. / By A.S. Gent.

A TREATISE OF ASSES, As to thier ••ature, Breeding, Feeding, Order∣ing, and Curing the sundry Dis∣eases incident to them.

••••••ations on the Ass, his Hardiness, and man••e•• of 〈◊〉〈◊〉

THE Ass is the hardiest of all Domestick Crea∣tures, seeming by Nature, to be framed for labour; its Feed is indifferent to it, and any thing that is proper to be eaten by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it make a good Meal of. The simplicity of this ••••ea∣•••• is ••••d in History, to make Heraclitus (who always, ••p•• this t••me, wept for the Pride, Covetousness, and ••••ry of Mankind) to l••ugh; for, passing along 〈◊〉〈◊〉

solitary, having a little before seen Luxurious Tab•••• spread with all manner of Dainties Sea and Land could af∣ford, he espied a poor Ass contenting himself with Thistles, mumbling them with as much pleasure, as if h•• had the best Provinder imaginable; which made him pre∣fer his Indifferency before the pretended Wisdom of d••¦contented, covetous Persons, who having never so much, are grasping at more, and never truly enjoy what they really in one kind properly poffess: But to return.

The Ass likewise brouses on Briar-staks, will eat Ch•••• pleasantly; and indeed, by reason of his hardiness, •••• the few Diseases incident to him, requires little looki•••• to, although his Labour is considerable; for though here (by reason of the abundance of good Horses) riding •• him is accounted scandalous, and not used but by t•••• meaner sort; yet in other Countries, they are used by great Ladies, as Palfreys, with ••••broidered Carpets, and guilded Trapings thrown over them. However, if we abate this in England, and should lay them aside as useless for riding, there is notwithstanding, much business they are capable of: For, as to carrying Burthens, the la•••• sort are comparable to Horses; they will hold out a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 way without fainting or••tireing. Then, for draw•• Burthens in a Cart, they are very serviceable; as also •• the Plough, in light ground, or where there is no •••• of Trees, stiff Clay, or large Stones; for indeed, •••• Creature put beyond its strength, is foiled and disorder•• and makes it unpleasant to him for the future.

Of Covering, and the proper time; their order in bringing forth, &c.

The breeding of these Creatures are in all particular, the same with the Mares, both in time and manner; And for a good breed, the Male and Female must be both of a reasonable Age, large bodied, sound, and of a good kind. The Male must be at least three years old; for ••••om th•••••• to ten, they ••ro very 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 bredding, though they bring forth their Col••s sometimes at two year, and a half; but it appears by th•• bad thriving, not to be so well, nor good for Service or Pontinuanc••.

To make the She-Ass retain the Seed, you must, after she has been well leaped, drive her up and down for an hour, or more, a handsome pace. She seldom bringeth forth two at once, and appears to have a kind of shame in her delivery; for when she finds her burthen ready to come forth, she will, if possible, retire into some dark ••hady place to avoid being seen. They bring forth their Foal in a twelve Month; and for a good breed it is con∣veni••nt to let them be covered but once in two years, that they may bear kindly every other year. Aristotle ac∣counts their Lifes to be thirty years, and indeed they are very healthy, being afflicted with but a few Diseases.

The best covering time is from the twentieth of May, to the tenth of June; and whilst they are with Foal, they must not be greatly laboured, nor hard driven; but labour does the Male good, for by reason of his extream letche∣rousness, he grows nought if he stands idle.

The ordering and weaning the As••-Colt; when to break him; Considerations of its Nature, and the housing required.

A. for the ordering the Ass-Colt when cast, suffer it the first year to run with the Dam; and the next, tye him up gently with her, only in the night time: The third is a si•• ••eason to break him, and render him tractable for labour, which will not be very difficult to do, by reason of his ••••ate dulness and easiness to be handled. There is in this Creature a great love towards her young; for if it be in danger, and cry out for help, she will not stick, if possible, to run through a circling fire to it. But above all things, they dread the Water, not willingly ••a••eing to dip the tips of their Hooss in it; and indeed the much wetting their Hooss in travel, or wet grounds, is the cause of most of their Distempers; neither, unless exceeding dry, will the Ass, of her own accord, willingly drink in any strange Water; and when they drink, they do it so man∣nerly, as if they were afraid to touch it with their Lips. Some, who have been curious to search into the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of ••t, affirm, that seeing the shaddow of the•••• goodly large ••ars in th•• Water, in which they take great Pride, they

are offended, and suddenly draw back, as ••earing they •• wetted.

They delight to lodge in wide Rooms, and by reas•••• of the melancholly guality that abounds in them, they among all Creatures, if any thing at all, are the least de∣lighted in Musick; and for the same reason ••••oubled •••• fearful dreams, which make them not only groan •• make piteous noise in their sleep, but also, if they •• near any hard thing, to beat their Feet and Heads, w•••• by they much hurt and bruise themselves; but much m•• those of their kind, that lye near them.

How to order the Ass in snowey, or hard frosty Weather, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there is little to be got abroad.

In the Winter Season, if the Snow be on the gr〈…〉〈…〉 especially, you must feed him in the House, with Ch〈…〉〈…〉 sweet Pease-Straw, and Hay chopped short; hard Bid•• or chipings of coarse Bread beaten small; and to con•••• and keep them in heart, fit for service, give them •• and then Bran in sweet Whey, skim Milk, or Wort; •• it must be very thick, or, for the reason before menti〈…〉〈…〉 he will hardly fish for it, though never so hungry. T•• care to let them stand dry, and if their Hoofs grow •• shape, pare, them, and bring thim into a fashionable for that they may grow in thickness; in many places wh•• they labour much, or go on stony ground, they •• shooed; but this must be done lightly, and within co••¦pass, that they interfeer not, to lame them in their tr••∣ing.

Diseases particularly incident to them; and their Cures.

Pains in the Head.

THis comes from wet and cold in travel or lying; and sometimes of extream hent in the hot Summer Season.

To remedy this, take Polipodium of the Oak, a handful; Wood-Sorrel, or Field-Sorrel, a like quantity; boyl them in stale Beer, and give it him hot; soon after let him bl••od behind the Ears.

For defects in the Lungs.

This is known by his heavy and painful breathing, his lamentable braying, not clear, but inwardly as it were.

To remedy this defect, boyl Liquorish well bruised two Ounces; Centory a little handful, in three pints of ••••ning Water, till a third part be consumed; then give it him at two equal potions well strained, Morning and Envening fasting.

For the Hide bound.

This is occasioned by being too much in the wet and cold; To remedy it:

Let him blood under the Tail; rub him well over with hard wisps; boyl the roots of Fennel in new Wort, a handful to a quart; add an ounce of Lupins, and half as many Camomile-Flowers; give it as a drench, a pint at a time, Morning and Evening.

To purge Melancolly.

Take three or four Laurel-leaves, a sprig or two of Sa∣vin, a quarter of an Ounce of Stibium, boyl them, well

bruised, in a quart of Whay, and give him the liquid part well strained, to drink, and let him fast six hours after.

For Madness or Giddiness.

This is occasioned by the contending of heat and cold in the Brain; from Vapour arising by bad digestion. To remedy it:

Take a handful of the tops of Rue, and Cardus, boyl them in a pint of White-wine; and just before you give i•• him, bleed in the Temple-Veins. Tye him up close in a•• airey place, for six hours; then give him Water wherei•• wild Cucumer-roots have been boyled, and good Litter.

To prevent Diseases.

Pick his feet clean from gravel and dirt; wash the•• with warm Chamberlye, and stopt them with Goats o•• Beef Suet; over that Flax, dipped in Tar: Give him in •• pint of Ale, an ounce of Methridate, and a quarten of Olive Oyl.

For Swellings, Sores, Bruises, broken Bones, Sprains, and the like, do as in case of Bullocks, Sheep, &c.