No. 3. 



Diseases of Horses. — Hilling Corn, SfC. 



99 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Diseases of Horses. — Hilling Corn. — 

 Agricultural ImproTemeiits. 



The charlatanism practised in the medical 

 treatment of horses readily accounts for the 

 unfortunate termination of most of their dis- 

 eases. At least such is the conclusion de- 

 duced from my limited experience. 



The first horse I ever owned contracted an 

 inflammation of the lining membrane of the 

 eye, from exposure in severe winter weather, 

 and the action of the reflected rays of the 

 sun when the ground was covered with snow. 

 Every one who witnessed the progress of the 

 film which rendered his vision hourly more 

 obscure, insisted on the immediate and free 

 application of burnt alum. The remedy was 

 tried, persisted in, and in a fortnight the ani- 

 mal was stone-blind. I reflected afterwards 

 how injudiciously I had acted in yielding to 

 current opinions when they were opposed to 

 the principles of nature. Here was a horse, 

 aflJ'ected with an acute disease of a sensitive 

 tissue, due in a great measure to a constitu- 

 tional affection, yet treated as though the 

 part was destitute of vitality, and without 

 any reference to the state of the general sys- 

 tem. Under different circumstances the ap- 

 plication of burnt alum would doubtless have 

 been very proper — that is, when the condi- 

 tion of the affected part demanded increased 

 action. But the case was just reversed. 



I last winter had a horse affected in a man- 

 ner precisely similar, and received identically 

 the same advice from those around me. I 

 determined, however, to act in accordance 

 with my professional judgment. After pro- 

 per depletion, therefore, the local inflamma- 

 tion was combated by cold applications (So- 

 lution of Sugar of Lead, &c.) and the use of 

 necessary precautions to prevent irritation 

 from excessive light. The active inflamma- 

 tion being subdued, the film, which consists 

 of a secretion of fluid within, and thickening 

 of, the conjunctiva, or membrane covering 

 the eye, was easily removed by a solution of 

 lunar caustic, 10 grs. to the ounce of water, 

 applied by means of a camel's-hair pencil. 

 The recovery within a fortnight was com- 

 plete. 



I cannot understand why a rational method 

 of treating all diseases of horses should not 

 be adopted. It especially becomes the duty 

 of the farmer-physician to investigate their 

 diseases, rather than consign them to tiie 

 " horse doctor" with disgust. The error of 

 prescribing for a name, in entire ignorance 

 3f the proximate cause, of the malady, might 

 ^oon be avoided. I seldom hear of the death 

 if a horse where the cause of it is professed 

 .0 be known, and still more uncommon is it 

 .0 hear of an examination being made after 



death to clear up the mystery. But it is the 

 physiologist and anatomist alone who can 

 derive much benefit from opening diseased 

 animals after death. 



I may, in this place, record the result of 

 my experience the present year in hilling 

 corn. About one-fourth of my crop was 

 ploughed, in consequence of its being over- 

 run with grass. My neighbours insisted upon 

 the necessity of it to support the stalk, or, 

 as one of my black men expressed it, to 

 " expert the corn." From the diversity of 

 soil 1 am unable to come to any conclusion 

 respecting the diff'erence in vigour of growth 

 between that ploughed, and that cultivated 

 with flukes only ; but am satisfied, the quan- 

 tity .was not increased by the former process, 

 which necessarily exacted additional labour. 

 As to hilling the corn affording it any sup- 

 port, I am satisfied of its inefficiency. The 

 corn that was ploughed was more prostrated 

 by winds than the other — a result to be attri- 

 buted, possibly, to its more exposed situation, 

 for I do not imagine either mode of culture 

 renders it less obnoxious to the effects of 

 high winds. 



In conclusion, I cannot refrain from ex- 

 pressing the high gratification we all here 

 begin to feel at the elevated stand agricul- 

 ture is now assuming. Within the last few 

 years improvements in this county have been 

 constantly progressive, and in an increasing 

 ratio. Despite the malign influences of finan- 

 cial embarrassments and political agitations, 

 superadded to low prices of produce, landed 

 properties have advanced, and are at this 

 time in greater demand, and at higher valua- 

 tions than at any preceding period in our his- 

 tory, except perhaps for a short period after 

 the war, when speculation and bread-stuffs 

 ran " mountains high." Men of intelligence 

 and wealth now purchase farms to reside 

 upon and improve them, and not for purposes 

 of speculation. The result in a few years 

 in all probability will be to place our lands 

 on a par in nominal value with those in Lan- 

 caster and Chester counties. And why not"! 

 The soil is as kind, the country as healthy, 

 and more convenient to markets. The impe- 

 tus this movement has received from the ag- 

 ricultural press, especially the Albany Culti- 

 vator, and Farmers' Cabinet, has been most 

 happy. The controlling influence of these 

 publications cannot be fully appreciated. 



J. A. LOCKWOOD. 



Wilmington, Del., October, 1841. 



The science of agriculture is by no means 

 at its height; in the almost miraculous ad- 

 vance of chemistry, new means may be found 

 from the concentration of known composts, 

 to lessen the cost of culture and to increase 

 its returns. 



