ON THE CECONOMY OF THE STABLE. (Jj 



farrier. Horfes ought by no means to remain 

 in old fhoes, until the toe is worn away, or the 

 webs become fo thin that there is a danger of 

 their breaking, unlefs in cafe of brittle hoofs, 

 when it is an obje6l to fhoe as feldom as pofli- 

 ble. Upon the average, good (hoes will \v'ear 

 near a month. Steeling the toes is in general 

 a ufeful pra6lice, but lefs neceffary when the 

 beft iron is made ufe of. 



I promifed, in the Introdu6lion, to give my 

 opinion fomewhat more at large, on the nev/ 

 method of treating the feet, fome years fmce 

 introduced by the judicious Mr. Clarke, but 

 which has not yet generally obtained. Both 

 Clarke and St. Bel affert, that oils and greafy 

 applications have really the eifeft to harden 

 and prevent the grov/th of ungular and horny 

 fubitances, inftead of the generally intended 

 one of foftening and relaxing them; and I am 

 inclined to the fame way of thinking myfelf : 

 but how then are we to account for the well- 

 known fpcedy growth of the human nails, 

 upon hands which are constantly employed in 

 greafy occupations? Yet I have obferved, that 

 the conftant handling of greafy meat has the 

 effect of hardening, inflamin?, and crackincr the 

 hands of butchers, and that leather, although it 

 be at firft foftened and fuppicd by the applica- 

 tion lof oil, from its frequent u^e. becomes m.ore 

 hard, cracks, and lofes its colour ; and I think 

 that fome blackening compofition might be 



contrived 



