38 



RULES FOR ASCERTAINING THE AGE OF HORSES. 



relating to the length of time vvnich a shoe 

 may remain upon the foot when construct- 

 ed in the manner here recommended, ap- 

 pears erroneous, for the growth of the 

 foot forward, would in time become in- 

 conveniently long, and the shoe being 

 drawn forward thereby, would leave the 

 frog too much exposed, therefore the shoe 

 would still require moving; yet less fre- 

 quently than where it is constructed with- 

 out joints. The other parts of the article 

 seem correct, in theory at least, and is 

 one of the cases which can be easily test- 

 ed by practice. 



RULES FOR ASCERTAINING THE AGE OF 

 HORSES, BY INSPECTING OF THEIR TEETH. 



By F. G. (Farmers Magazine, No. 54.) 



The rules given in the narrative are 

 compressed into the following recapitula- 

 tion: — xfit from 2i to 3 years old, a 

 horse sheds in both rows the two centre 

 teeth and is then said to be a three year 

 old. ^t from 3h to 4 years, he loses 

 other four teeth, one on each side of those 

 he lost the preceding year, both in the 

 upper and under-jaw, having the four out- 

 side, or corner teeth remaining; he is 

 now called a four year old. Jit from A\ 

 to 5 years, the four corner foal teeth are 

 cast, and then he parses for a five year 

 old; at full five ycar.s the flesh disappears 

 and the corner teeth become complete 

 shells, hollow within, and the tusks have 

 pierced the gum, and their points may be 

 felt with the finger. ./^/ from 5h. to 6 

 years, the tusks become of a moderate 

 size, sharp, the inside fluted, and the edge 

 next the gatherers thin, he is now called 

 six years old, wliich is the most valuable 

 age. Jit from G to S years, all the gath- 

 erers are full having only a brown speck 

 on the top, the corner teeth have become 

 much thicker, and the tusks longer, but 

 as the speck remains with many horses 

 for several years after, a person who is 

 not a judge, will be told that the horse is 

 not more than six years old. At 8 /o 10 

 years and upwards; at eight the bean 

 being generally worn out from the teeth 

 of the under-jaw, the upper jaw may be 

 examined; at nine the speck of the centre; 

 at nine and a half, that of the middle; and 

 at ten, that of the corner teeth is eflfaced, 

 then the horse is said to be aged, and to 



have lost all mark. The age may no long- 

 er be distinctly known from the teeth, 

 but a probable conjecture may be formed 

 from the length of the tusks. 



Observations. Since there is no part of 

 the farmers stock more expensive, nor 

 any in which he is more subjected to im- 

 position, than horses, we trust we shall 

 stand excused by the more intelligent part 

 of the agricultural public, for noticing this 

 paper, in order to convey the information 

 it contains to the young and more inex- 

 perienced reader, who will the easier un- 

 derstand the subject, from its being eluci- 

 dated systematically. — Retrospect. 



ON PLANTING AND REARING THORN 



HEDGES. 



By Win. Alton, Farmers Magazine, No. 54. 



Thorn hedges are represented to be of 

 all other fences, the cheapest, most beau- 

 tiful, most durable, and most valuable yet 

 known, and that no other ought to be 

 formed, where these can be made to grow; 

 and that it is not the richness of the soil, 

 but its quality, for retaining moisture, and 

 the manner in which the dykes are form- 

 ed, and kept, that govern the growth of 

 these hedges. The whole art of raising 

 white thorn into fence, is said to lie in 

 placing them within the reach of a due 

 supply of moisture, the benefit of the sun 

 and weather, and in keeping them Irom 

 being overgrown with weeds; the luxu- 

 riance of their growth depending on their 

 obtaining more moisture than is required 

 for the generality of trees and shrubs, and 

 the stuntedness of hedges, in nine cases 

 out often, proceeding from the want of a 

 due supply of moisture. Whenever a thorn 

 fence is attempted to be raised on a dry or 

 a sandy soil, the trench should be opened 

 on the lower side, and the dyke reared 

 on the rising ground, that when rains 

 fall, the moisture may run to the root of 

 the thorns; while if the trench be formed 

 on the higher ground, it would intercept 

 and carry off the water; and whenever a 

 thorn hedge is planted on a dry sandy soil, 

 the thorns ought to be placed low in the 

 dyke; and great pains taken to keep them 

 free from weeds. When thorns are plant- 

 ed in a dyke formed of sterile moss, they 

 are found to grow as well for two or three 

 years, as if planted in rich mould, but 



