FAEMERS' INSTITUTES. 61 



ter should be provided, and tlie ration of grain already commended should be 

 given. Before turning out his herd of horses for tlie winter the farmer should 

 see that tliere are no effects of strains, received the past season, remaining in 

 any of the horses. If there should be any a blister should be applied, and in 

 some cases firing may be necessary. The winter's rest will be found to be a 

 great support to the medical or surgical treatment. Horses that are being 

 Avorked hard during the wniter should be fed as during the summer, and be 

 well protected from drafts of cold air when heated. They should never be left 

 in the stable with the coat wet or damp, but should be well rubbed with dry 

 straw or cloths and then covered with dry blankets. "Within late years there 

 has been introduced into tliis country a practice that cannot be too highly 

 commended, as a means of enabling the horse to do hard or rapid work with 

 greater ease and comfort during the winter, viz. : clipping, which consists in 

 removing the thick coat of long liair that covers the animal at this season and 

 interferes to a great extent with the healthy action of the skin while he is 

 working hard. This operation will often prevent the invasion of acute diseases, 

 and is sometimes of absolute necessity, as a therapeutic measure in the treat- 

 ment of chronic diseases of the chest. 



From my own experience, I am sure that we can give a working horse better 

 care, with less than half the labor by clipping, than we could by leaving the 

 thick coat of hair, to be wet by rain or snow or sweat, while he is working. 

 But the clipped horse sliould receive constant attention while at work ; when 

 he is allowed to stand he should have a double covering of blankets, and while 

 he is in the stable he should have a single, warm blanket for covering. Brood 

 animals, w'ith growing stock, should always occupy the first place in the farm- 

 er's attention. In case of brood animals he should remember that their sys- 

 tems, are undergoing a peculiar, and severe trial; and that he has at stake, 

 the w^elfare of a being yet to be brought forth. This class of animals should 

 receive good, nutritious food ; "the regular development, and a good consti- 

 tution in the foetus depend upon it;" without being too fat they should be in 

 good condition. ''Plethora and obesity predispose to abortion, and render 

 parturition difficult;" and again, if the animals are too thin, the milk is likely 

 to want in quantity and quality. Young animals often seem to be predisposed 

 to rickets, and sometimes it would seem that the predisposition was due to a 

 want of bone-forming material in the food furnished tlie dam ; and the dif- 

 ficulty is often prevented by feeding her with ground bones during the period 

 of gestation ; and as the animals are not likely to be injured in this way, it 

 may be found an advantage to keep a quantity of finely powdered bones within 

 the reach of all brood animals. All animals of this class should be provided 

 with dry, warm quarters, and allowed free access to water; in this way long 

 periods of thirst, to be quenched by heavy draughts of cold water, a prolific 

 source of abortions, are avoided. 



As the term of delivery approaches the food, without ceasing to be substan- 

 tial, should have a relaxing influence upon the system ; if roots of any kind 

 can be given they will be found a great advantage; for, aside from acting on 

 the digestive system, they will increase the supply of milk. Bran mashes or 

 gruels may be given from time to time if there is a tendency toward constipa- 

 tion. In some cases it may be found necessary to resort to saline purgatives; 

 :Jth lb. doses of ei:)Som salts at intervals of four hours may bo given to the 

 mare, and cow, and smaller doses for tlie smaller animals. 



Acute constipation is of frequent occurrence in foals dropped during the 

 winter, or early spring. If taken in hand in time, injecting mild soap suds 



