510 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



lishing fever, by which the moisture of the hoofs 

 is rapidly absorbed, rendering the hoofs hard, 

 brittle, and liable to crack, and frequently causing i 

 corns, navicular joint lameness, bony deposits to I 

 be thrown out from the lateral wings or pro-i 

 cesses of the cofRn bones, rendering the animal! 

 permanently lame or unsound. These are but aj 

 few of the bad effects arising from contraction ; 

 enough, however, to serve our purpose at present - 

 Remedy. — Preserve a level bearing by making' 

 the shoe perfectly flat on the quarters, so as not 

 to interfere with the expansion of the feet. — 

 Should contraction already exist to a considera- 

 ble extent, bevel the shoe slightly outward at the 

 heels, in order to facilitate expansion. Care 

 should be taken not to bevel too much, or bulg- 

 ing of the lower part of the hoofs at the quarters 

 will be the result. The shoe should in all cases 

 be forged and not twisted, as is sometimes done 

 to save trouble by the bungling smith. Proper 

 applications, to soften the horny parts and pro- 

 mote elasticity, should also be used. Such prep- 

 arations are put up in the form of hoof ointments. 

 — B. Jennings, V. S. 



the irrigation system is less rich and juicy, and 

 the trees are not so hardy. In Santa Clara the 

 evils of numerous wells of this sort are already 

 seriously felt. The earth is parched up, and bit- 

 ter complaints come from all quarters. All the 

 surface water of the country is drawn ofi" by 

 means of artesian wells — drawn down to their 

 channels, and then sent up again in one stream 

 instead of ten thousand through the pores of the 

 surface earth. Instead of being showered, the 

 land is flooded by profuse irrigation. 



I^or the New England Farmer. 

 QUALITIES OF THE HOBSE. 



We should take more pains to breed horses of 

 beautiful carriage, fine proportions, good tem- 

 pers, courage and docility, than for high, Gilpin 

 speed. We want horses for all purposes, that 

 are not cowardly, that will not take fright ; for 

 those of that temperament are ever dangerous to 

 whomsoever may use them, and to persons in the 

 streets. Much damage is done, annually, by such 

 horses, to carriages, harnesses and other proper- 

 ty. Many limbs are broken and lives lost by 

 these afi"righted animals. It should be an indicta- 

 ble off"ence to bring such horses into the market. 

 Courage and other good traits and qualities in 

 the horse are hereditary, as in the human race. 

 We should look to the pedigree for purity of 

 blood, health and constitution, also. 



The gait of the horse is less easy and graceful 

 when pressed to a high rate of speed. It is much 

 more healthy, pleasant and safe, to ride at a mod- 

 erate pace, upon a horse of an easy gait. When 

 riding for pleasure, it is more pleasant and safe, 

 at a six mile speed, than at 2.40 or under. We 

 have, thus, the best and most perfect view of the 

 country or town through which we may ride. 

 Moderate horses are the best, and most comfort- 

 able of management, for business and domestic 

 purposes and uses. Those of high speed are 

 more liable to accidents, are more easily injured, 

 are less hardy than others. 



Now-a-days, we travel by steam, when we 

 journey, and our swift-winged messages are sent 

 by the aid of electricity. 



Swiftness is only a fancy and sportive quality, 

 and too much regard to it, in the breeding and 

 rearing of horses, is a public injury. 



Geo. O. Betton. 



Artesian Wells Injurious. — The California 

 Farmer condemns artesian wells as a curse in 

 California, in some parts of which they are nu- 

 merous, being used for irrigating the country 

 for agricultural purposes. The fruit raised by 



EXTHACT3 AND REPLIES. 

 SEEDING LAND TO GRASS. 



Will it answer to seed down a piece of strong, 

 heavy, orchard land, full of witch grass? or, 

 rather, will seeding down be the most effectual 

 method of killing it out? or try root crop ? It 

 has been up two years. Reader. 



Remarks. — It is too late to seed land to grass 

 this fall, with much certainty of success. Better 

 plow it this fall as late as you can, and then again 

 in the spring as soon as the ground will permit, 

 give it a dressing of compost manure, and sow 

 grass seed with oats or barley. If the land is 

 high, and a gravelly loam, sow with barley ; if 

 of a heavier character, use oats. 



A crop of roots on such land, well tended, 

 would probably eradicate the witch grass, but 

 the process would be rather an expensive one. 



IMPORTING SCIONS. 



Intending to imporc a iev/ of the better kinds 

 of apples and pears from the continent, I beg 

 you to inform me, through your paper, if scions 

 may successfully be imported ? Which would 

 be the best season for it, how long would they 

 continue fresh, and how should they be packed 

 to prevent their spoiling? 



Samuel B. Tracy. 



Dorchester, Mass.. Sept., 1859. 



Remarks. — We have no doubt but scions may 

 be brought here from the continent successfully. 

 The nurserymen there will probably know how 

 to pack them. A great many of the pear trees 

 that are imported are undoubtedly six months 

 before they are put into the ground here. Sci- 

 ons properly packed in damp moss, we think 

 would keep plump and fresh for many months, 

 if they were kept in a suitable place. 



NATIVE grapes. 



My object in sending you this box of grapes 

 is to know if they are worth raising ? They 

 were raised in grass land, and have never been 

 trimmed, or had manure of any kind. If in your 

 opinion there is any kind of native grape any 

 better, you would do me a kindness to give me 

 the names of a few ? Leonard Chandler. 



Princeton, Sept., 1859. 



Remarks. — We have had many samples of 

 native grapes sent us to taste, and have trans- 



