SECRETARY'S REPORT. 241 



equalled only by their pretensions. To eke out the scanty income 

 from professional services, he resorted to the pen, and became con- 

 nected with the newspaper press at St. John. At one time he started 

 " The Farmer," a magazine devoted to agriculture, but it failed for 

 want of support. 



Not long before his death, he removed to Kennebacasis, near St. 

 John, where he hoped to find leisure to prepare a popular work on 

 the applications of veterinary science to the wants of horse owners 

 in this country. This he had long designed, and had he been per- 

 mitted to complete the work, it would doubtless have placed his name 

 high on the list of benefactors to American agriculture. His death 

 occurring on the twenty-first of July last, was as sudden as it was 

 unexpected, being caused by the rupture of a blood vessel while in 

 the apparent enjoyment of usual good health. It deprived his 

 family of a much loved husband and father, a large circle of friends 

 of a true-hearted companion and judicious adviser, and veterinary 

 and agricultural science of a staunch supporter and advocate. 



Being by this afflictive dispensation, deprived of the pleasure of 

 submitting the expected communication from his pen, I insert in its 

 place a paper left by him, and which was evidently intended as in- 

 troductory to the work on horse management above alluded to ; and 

 this because of the conviction that the lack of veterinary science 

 which exists among us, must be more extensively and deeply felt, 

 before measures will be taken to supply the need, and in the hope 

 that his remarks may serve a useful purpose to this end. It is barely 

 possible, also, that indicating as they do, the main features of a work 

 which is exceedingly needed, their publication may, in some way, 

 prove instrumental towards supplying this great desideratum in our 

 agricultural literature. 



" The horse, viewing him merely as one of the most beautiful 

 and perfect of nature's creations, presents many points of pleasing 

 and instructive study for the inquiring mind ; but when considered 

 in relation to the profits to be made from rearing him, his value 

 as an article of commerce, and the many important services he 

 performs for us, ever^^'thing connected with his existence, his wel- 

 fare and his usefulness, assumes a double interest, and yields 

 advantage as well as pleasure by being known. In all intelligent 

 communities, therefore, and among almost every class of men, the 

 quality and value of horses, their performances, ailments, and man- 

 agement, are popular topics of conversation, and things about 



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