No. 7. 



The Arabian Horse. 



221 



I have no objection to a laugh at my expense 

 if it has the effect to put meon the right track, 

 and besides, I should consider the information 

 cheap, for I would now be willing to hire a 

 competent person at high wages for a few 

 days, or even weeks, to examine the situation 

 of the land, and direct the work with success. 

 Whether an artificer, well skilled in the busi- 

 ness of " draining," could find employment 

 in this country 1 do not know, but if this 

 statement should meet the eye of any one 

 who will give directions, so that the work 

 could be prosecuted with effect, from my at- 

 tempt to describe the situation, and without 

 seeing the land, it would oblige one, if not 

 Many Subscribers. 



Manlieim Townsliip, 

 Schuylkill County, Penii., Jan. 13, 1842. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 The Arabian Horse. 



Mr. Editor, — In a late work by Lieut. 

 Col. Hamilton, " on the Natural History of 

 horses," I find some remarks on the Arabian 

 horse, which, I think it probable, you would 

 wish to transfer to the pages of the Cabinet, 

 now that they contain specimens of the most 

 perfect individuals of the distinct breeds of 

 these wonderful animals, and, I must add, 

 done in the most masterly manner, having 

 more the appearance of steel-plate engravings 

 than of wood-cuts. The readers of the Cabi- 

 net are much indebted to all concerned in the 

 publication of that useful work — will they ac- 

 cept the individual thanks of their subscriber, 



T. W. 



Lancaster Co., Pa. 



" Although the Arabian steed might not be 

 acknowledged by amateurs as perfect in form 

 for exceeding fast going, no race is possess- 

 ed of a more beautiful head, for above the 

 eyes it is square, and below, the nose is small- 

 er and more tapering than any other, the 

 muzzle being fine, short, and adorned with 

 wide and delicate nostrils. The eyes are 

 very prominent, large and brilliant; the ears 

 small, poitited, and movable, and the jaws 

 and cheeks adorned with minute and swell- 

 ing veins. The head is well set on the neck, 

 which arches gracefully, and is bedecked by 

 a fine, but sometimes rather deficient mane. 

 The withers are high, the shoulders inclining 

 and beautifully adjusted, the chest and body 

 spreading out behind the arms, to give room 

 for action to the lungs and heart, which are, 

 in proportion, larger than in any other kind 

 of horse. The limbs are remarkably fine, 

 sinewy, and firmly jointed, the legs flat and 

 clean, with pasterns rather long and flexible, 

 80 that, with an oblique position, they appear, 

 when compared to the heavier European, not 



quite so strong as is desirable; but consider- 

 ing that in stature these horses do not often 

 exceed fourteen hands and three quarters, it 

 is evident from the length of time they will 

 carry a rider at great speed and under great 

 restriction of food, and the number of years 

 they endure, that, for their climate at least, 

 they are fully competent to accomplish all 

 that is desirable, and even execute tasks that 

 are not always believed of them. The quar- 

 ters of an Arab are deep ; the muscles of the 

 fore-arm and thigh prominent; the tail set 

 on high, with a middling proportion of sweep- 

 ing hair; the skin, on all parts of the body, 

 thin, presenting veins above the surface, and 

 the hoofs, rather high, are hard and tough. 

 From the broad forehead and space between 

 the ears, judges assert their greater courage 

 and intelligence, which, aided by education 

 and kind treatment, they certainly possess 

 beyond all other horses; while in temper and 

 docility none can be compared with them. 

 And for sobriety these horses are equally re« 

 markable; an Arab of the desert allowing his 

 mare only two meals in the twenty-four 

 hours. She is kept fastened near the en- 

 trance of the tent, ready saddled for mount- 

 ing in a moment, or turned out to ramble 

 about it, confident in her training, that she 

 will, on the first call, gallop up to be bridled. 

 She receives only a scanty supply of water 

 at night, and five or six pounds of barley or 

 beans with a little chopped straw, and then 

 she lies down contented in the midst of her 

 master's family — often with children sleeping 

 on her neck or between her feet, no danger 

 to any being apprehended or experienced. 

 In the morning, if not wanted, another feed, 

 and on some occasions a few dates and a lit- 

 tle camel's milk are given, particularly when 

 water is scarce, and there is no green herb- 

 age ; or during an expedition, which admits 

 of little or no respite; camel's milk being al- 

 most the only nutriment of the foals. Under 

 this mode of training, these mares will travel 

 fifty miles without stopping, and they have 

 been known to go 120 miles on emergencies, 

 with hardly a respite, and no food. A bet 

 against time was won by an Arabian horse at 

 Bangalore, in the Presidency of Madras, run- 

 ning 400 miles in the space of four consecu- 

 tive days. This occurred on the 27th July, 

 1841." 



Frozen Potatoes. 



Potatoes that are frozen, if taken in that 

 state and immersed immediately in boiling 

 water, will be found as good and palatable aa 

 if untouched by frost. It is not the operation 

 of freezing that deteriorates the potatoe, but 

 the gradual thawing to which they are subse- 

 quently exposed. 



