THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



529 



as the horse lives : I never knew one to recover without 

 treatment. I think nine cases out of ten of all this lame- 

 ness, contracted tendons, nerves, and svveenied shoulders, 

 have their cause iw the feet, either from fever, contraction, 

 ossification of the cartilage, indentation of the margin of 

 the coffin-bone, or a grub which we lately discovered work- 

 ing between the sensible and insensible sole of the foot. 

 Its track can easily be followed, by the dust formed in its 

 passage around the lower part of the hoof, and as far up as 

 the coffin-bone. This lameness can be cured by treatment 

 to kill the grub, or the application of turpentine. In some 

 cases, it would be difficult to find the grub without injuring 

 the foot; and the latter remedy will be effectual, if one 



exists in the foot. The causes to which diseases in the 

 feet can be traced, according to my observations, arc as 

 follows: Fancy shoeing, GO in 100; founder, 20 in 100; 

 congestive fever, 5 in 100; driving into cold water, sudden 

 chilling, &c., 5 in 100 ; hereditary or unaccountable, care- 

 less shoeing, 5 in 100. There may still be other causes ; 

 but they are so rare, that a practitioner may not meet with 

 more than one of each in a lifetime. Wounds, strains, and 

 fractures of bones sometimes occur in those parts ; but the 

 skilful practitioner will readily detect these. This matter 

 is worthy the investigation of all lovers of good horses. — 

 Ohio Farmer. 



SHEEP AND HOG MANURES. 



Sheep manure is highly concentrated, and conse- 

 quently nearly as powerful in its effects, when first 

 applied, as the excrements of domestic poultry, 

 which are considered the most powerful of any of 

 the legitimate manures of the farm. The dung of 

 sheep contains considerable ammonia, and the 

 urine is particularly rich in this valuable but easily 

 dissipated constituent. When sheep manure is 

 kept in a heap it decomposes rapidly ; but when 

 spread over the land, as it is usually left where 

 sheep are pastured, its decomposition is slow and 

 imperfect. It is very quick in its action on the 

 soil, and consequently should not be spread in 

 large quantities on light lands for cereals, as it 

 causes them to run too much to straw. Where 

 sheep are kept even in large flocks, much too little 

 attention is paid to the item of dung, as it is sup- 

 posed to be so small an affair ; but good farmers 

 find that it is the attention to all these little things 

 that makes the farm profitable. In the summer 

 season, when the sheep are pastured, no care is 

 necessary, for they manage the matter themselves ; 

 but in the winter, when they are mostly kept and 

 fed in sheds or foLis, by judicious littering a 

 valuable supply of the best of fertilizers can be 

 obtained from them, the only fault of which is that 

 it is easily dissipated after its application to the 

 soil, which can hardly be considered objectionable, 

 as it enables us to get the substance of it sooner 

 back again in the shape of good crops. 



Hog manure comes next in our category, and 

 although last it is certainly not least in the opinion 

 of all practical farmers. From the many and 

 various kinds of food consumed by swine, we 

 would naturally judge the excrements from them 

 to be superior to those from any of the other 

 domestic animals, and such is the case. Next to 

 man, hogs receive the best and most concentrated 

 kinds of food, and in the most variety of shapes, 

 as much of it is the offal from his table. This 

 explains at once the value of hog dung; many 



however suppose it to be of little advantage on clay 

 soils, on account of its non-heating qualities and 

 its cold and soapy character ; but this can be no 

 objection when it is used on light soils, and when 

 intended for the use of the former, it can to advan- 

 tage be first composted with horse dung, the 

 advantages of which have been frequently referred 

 to ; thus the hog dung, which is usually fine and 

 well rotted, takes of the gases which would other- 

 wise escape, and uses them to lighten and add 

 stimulus to its otherwise morbid character. Hog 

 dung is much esteemed for some particular crops, 

 and some farmers believe it to be more efficient in 

 growing roots than anything else ; but on these 

 points practical men differ so materially, that it is 

 perhaps better to let the matter rest, and allow 

 every one to hold his old opinions undisturbed, 

 than to make an ineffectual attempt to alter a 

 matter which is already settled in the minds of all 

 those to whom it could be of any use. 



Contrivances for the Preservation of 

 Manure. — Although these remarks, as we have 

 before observed, are mostly intended for the use 

 of practical farmers, and especially for those who 

 have small means to invest, we deem it not out of 

 place here to make some few remarks on the most 

 economical contrivances for the use and preserva- 

 tion of farm manures. We have already called 

 attention to the liquid manure pump, which is a 

 great acquisition to the barn-yard, and when 

 stationary, as it usually is, a small hose to be 

 screwed on to the spout, so as to easily disperse 

 the hquid in different directions, will be found very 

 useful and add little to the expense. 



When large quantities of liquid manure are 

 made, it will be found necessary to drain it into a 

 tank built for that purpose; such a one can be 

 easily constructed with hydrauhc cement laid on 

 the earth sides of the tank, if the soil is sufficiently 

 firm to allow it to be dug without crumbling ; and 

 where it is very apt to crumble or fall in, it can be 



