AGRICULTURE AND THE HORSE. 411 



the fresh air of their native hills, from the sweet hay- 

 mows and airy stables of their rnral homes, from the 

 repose of a farm and the untainted freshness of country 

 life. They have suddenly been brought from all this 

 healthy and invigorating existence to the heat and 

 tumult, and stifling air, and musty hay, and heated 

 corn, and poisoned water, of a crowded, ill-ventilated, 

 smothering stable. Pricked hourly out of that torpor 

 into which such influences throw them, and goaded 

 into a sort of feeble animation to attract a customer, 

 put to the utmost stretch again and again "for the 

 sake of a trade," is it surprising that they should lose 

 their balance and their health, and become a prey to 

 every variety of inflammatory disease known to veteri- 

 nary practice? These poor dumb victims are com- 

 pelled to live where man would perish, and are ex- 

 pected to retain their energies where he would faint and 

 fall. Now, in the name of humanity and ordinary com- 

 mercial thrift and sagacity, let this be stopped. There 

 is no reason why sale-stables should be horse-hells ; no 

 reason why they should vie with the Black Hole in their 

 inevitable cruelty and destruction and gloom. These, 

 and city stables generally, except those belonging to 

 private gentlemen, and here and there a livery, are a 

 disgrace and a shame to a civilized community. So long 

 as they continue as they now are, horses must die. There 

 ^re no remedies for the sudden and violent diseases 

 which will attend such poisonous air and water and 

 food. The remedy lies in providing ample and well- 



