696 



THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



At Four Years, the central nippers will be fully developed, the sharp edge somewhat 

 worn off, and the mark shorter, wider, and fainter. The next will be up, but they will be 

 small, with the mark deep and extending across them. The sixth grinders will have attained 

 the level of the others, and the canines or tushes will begin to appear. 



At this period, the dishonest dealer will endeavor, more than at any time previous, to 

 make the animal seem older than he really is, as the difference between a four-year old colt 

 and five-year old horse with regard to strength, utility, and value, is great ; but the lack of 

 wear in the middle nippers, the small size of the corner ones, and slight growth of the 

 tushes, besides the smallness of the second grinders, lack of depth in the mouth, and dispro 

 portionate length of limbs in the animal, will be sufficient to expose the deception. 



BLACK HAWK, JR. 



(Property of S. W. Ficklin, Charlottesville, Virginia.) 



The tushes are four in number, two on each jaw, located between the incisors and 

 grinders, and nearer the former than the latter. At four years and a half, or between that 

 and five years of age, the last important change takes place in the mouth of the horse. The 

 corner nippers are then shed, and the permanent ones begin to appear. The central ones are 

 considerably worn, and the next pair begin to show marks of usage somewhat. The tush is 

 now cut through and generally a full half-inch in length. The colt is now considered a 

 horse, and the filly a mare. 



At Five Years, the corner nippers are well up, containing the long, irregular, deep mark 

 in the inside, and the other nippers showing evidence of wear. The sixth molar is now up, 



