1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



347 



an animal in the head at once, than to force 

 down its throat doses of drugs whose quality or 

 action j'ou know little about, having the effect to 

 create disease when it did not exist, and prolong 

 suffering much beyond the time in which nature 

 would herself effect a cure. — American Agricul- 

 turist. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 A HOKSE WORTH ©"WNING. 



Mr. Editoe : — The following is a biographical 

 sketch of one of the most noble specimens of the 

 horse species ; and appreciating the design and 

 usefulness which this superior animal, the horse, 

 subserves to the service and pleasure of the 

 "Lords of Creation," the writer would heartily 

 concur with the views of others, and commend 

 their laudable efforts to improve the condition, 

 not only in enacting laws against inhuman and 

 brutal treatment, but in personal care and proper 

 attention to the keeping, driving and health of 

 this noblest of all beasts. 



"Old White," as she is called, was first owned 

 in this town by Capt. Joshua Dodge, Mr. Dodge 

 having purchased her of a horse-dealer at Lynn. 

 Of her birth-place, sireship and previous history 

 we have not yet learned anything, except that 

 she probably passed through the hands of sev- 

 eral owners ; and it appears that up to that time, 

 her merits were not fully discovered, as she was 

 bought by Mr. Dodge for only fifty dollars, 

 though then with foal. She served her owner 

 on a farm to his highest satisfaction, till her colt 

 was old enough and broken to work, when she 

 was supposed to be eighteen years old, and Mr. 

 Dodge not having use for more than one horse, 

 sold her for fifty dollars, to Capt. George Apple- 

 ton, of this town, her present owner, (and by the 

 way, we might suppose that "Old White" must 

 be thoroughly disciplined, as she had been under 

 two captains, covering a period of seventeen 

 years of her existence !) Capt. Appleton has 

 owned her upwards of fourteen years, and her 

 present age must, of course, exceed thirty-two 

 years. During the time owned by Capt. Apple- 

 ton, she had been put to most every use in which 

 any horse is capable of service ; and was able to 

 perform as much labor in a given time. She 

 would endure fatigue and exposure without dis- 

 qualifying her for actual and constant work. 



Even at the age of twenty and upwards, she 

 was quite distinguished for speed ; and in many 

 instances has proved more than a match for quite 

 smart horses. She has drawn loads of hay of 

 twenty and twenty-five hundred weight to Sa- 

 lem, a distance of nine miles, without difficulty, 

 not excepting even the steep and difficult hills 

 on this route ; and has been used in carrying 

 the mail to the depot, Capt. Appleton being 

 postmaster, performing this once a day most of 

 the time, Sundays excepted, for the past ten or 

 twelve years, and has probably by private car- 

 riage, carried five thousand to six thousand per- 

 sons to the cars. 



Persons of all ages, from the boy of seven to 

 the adult of four-score years, have driven her to 

 different places, either fast or slow, as desirable, 

 and might leave her at any place without tying. 

 When turned out to pasture or into the highway, 

 she might be bridled by a mere child, and is so 



kind and docile, but at the same time high-spir- 

 ited, as to be perfectly manageable in any hands 

 and every kind of carriage ; and until of late 

 years has not required urging by the whip. 



"Old White," in her best estate, weighed only 

 about eight hundred and fifty pounds, and re- 

 cently at her present advanced age, drew a load 

 from Essex, over a very hilly road, weighing 

 twenty-three hundred pounds. In regard to 

 keeping, she has had but little grain, and other 

 food not extra in quality ; and notwithstanding 

 her constant labor, has kept herself looking well. 



One thing in the history of "Old White" is 

 worthy of special notice, that for many years past 

 she has been a faithful and trustworthy servant 

 to convey a venerable lady now ninety-five years 

 old, a connection of the family in which she is 

 owned, to Ipswich and back again, this aged lady 

 having in both towns sons and daughters with 

 whom she resides alternately. 



Her owner thought a few years since in the 

 fall that he would kill her, thinking she might 

 fail during the winter, rather than let her be sold, 

 subject to fall into hands which might abuse her, 

 but though she shows some signs of declining 

 years, she still survives, and it is not impossi- 

 ble that she will live to bless the next generation 

 with her valuable service. Z. A. APPLETON. 



Hamilton, Mass., June, 1858. 



LIGHTS AND SHADOV7S. 



The gloomiest day hath gleams of light. 

 The darkest wave hath bright foam near it, 



And twinkles through the cloudiest night 

 Some solitary star to cheer it. 



The gloomiest soul is not all gloom, 



The saddest heart is not all sadness ; 

 And sweetly o'er the darkest doom, 



There shines some lingering beam of gladness. 



Despair is never quite despair ; 



Nor life nor death the future closes ; 

 And round the shadowy brow of Care, 



Will Hope and Fancy twine their roses. 



Mrs. Hemans. 



How TO Protect Sheep from the Rava- 

 ges OF THE Canine Species.— "A subscriber," 

 whose sheep-fold has been often visited by 

 prowling dogs, wishes to know how he can pro- 

 tect his flock. With pleasure we give the fol- 

 lowing prescription : 



Beef Steak 16 ounces. 



Strychnia 4 scruples 



Directions. — Divide the beef-steak or tit-bit 

 into sixteen parts ; take a sharp knife and make 

 an incision into each one of them, and insert one- 

 sixteenth of the above quantity (which should be 

 five grains,) drop a few of these medicated "tit- 

 bits" around your sheep preserves, and have a 

 few in your coat pocket, so that when you come 

 across an ugly cuss of a dog — a perfect Nena Sa- 

 hib — ^just come the "Rarey" over him — make his 

 acquaintance, coax him to stay by long enough, 

 while you draw forth just one morsel. In the 

 name of mutton let the medicine be given. — 

 Dadd's Veterinary Journal. 



I^° When corn costs 50 cents per bushel, pork 

 costs 5 cents per pound. 



