362 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



A scar under the eye, having a circular shape, should suggest that the 

 treiJhine has been used for the punching out of a diseased molar tooth in 

 upper jaw and cause the examiner to open the mouth and inspect the - 

 teeth. A pronounced •"dent" in the bones of the face should lead one to 

 examine for fractures, chronic catarrh or "nasal gleet" and is often seen 

 in glanders, in which case an examination of the lining membrane of the 

 partition between the nostrils (septum nasi) will disclose the presence 

 of ulcers or a "mouse-bitten" appearance, as it is often called, together 

 with a discharge of a sticky nature from one or both nostrils and grape- 

 like tumors between the jawbones. There should be no discharge from 

 the nostrils, and the lining membrane should be a healthy pink in color. 

 If purple spots are seen the horse is either coming down with an attack 

 of purpura haemorrhagica (anasarca) or has recently had a severe attack 

 of colic or some inflammatory disease. When examining this part run 

 the finger into the false nostril over each true nostril for the location 

 of cysts or tumors which may interfere with breathing or cause other 

 trouble and always see to it that one nostril has not been plugged with a 

 sponge to hide broken wind. Examine top of head between, and back of 

 ears for evidences of "poll evil" or scars telling of a previous attack; 

 examine base of ear and its edge for discharging fistula of the bursa 

 mucosae, or fistula proceeding from a supernumerary tooth. See that 

 the throat-latch is clean cut, that the glands under the ear are not 

 enlarged or scarred and that there is no tumor on each side of windpipe 

 at throat or on windpipe lower down where a tracheotomy tube has been 

 used during a bad attack of laryngitis, possibly leaving the horse a 

 "roarer." Apart from soimdness and returning to good conformation of 

 the head see that the jaws are wide. Some horses have "scissor mouth" 

 from abnormal narrowness of the upper jaw. but more often we find 

 undue narrowness of the lower jaw. making proper mastication of food 

 impossible and giving the horses stiff action of the head. Then, too, the 

 teeth should come together properly in front. "Parrot mouth" is caused 

 by projection of the upper jaw over the under jaw and the opposite con- 

 dition is occasionally seen. In stallions the head should have a bold. 

 masculine appearance, but in mares we wish to see docility, sweetness of 

 temper and maternal love indicated by softer contour and placidity of 

 expression. 



THE LEGS OF DRAFT HORSES: 



Dr. A. N. Alexander in Homestead. 



Continuing our hints to the beginner in the breeding of draft horses 

 some points relative to the quality of legs to be chosen and bred for will 

 prove of interest and importance. While every engine must have a capa- 

 ble and adequate boiler for tjie generation of steam and every horse a 

 fully developed body for the consumption of food and furnishing of force 

 the "working parts" of both machine and animal are of first importance. 

 The material entering into the formation of these parts must be of first 



