VO. 34. 



THE FARMERS CABI.'tKT. 



371 



wood. A machine for this purpose may be 

 driven by a horse upon the portable horse 

 mill described in a lormer communication, 

 drain secured within the field (ulioncut) 

 in small stacks, and when dry tlireshed, and 

 the chaff and gram left together, until imme- 

 diately before grinding the grain, would 

 (probably) preserve the grain from injury, to 

 whicli It IS always liable by sweating, when 

 placed in large masses together, cither in 

 barns or stacks, and which is, probably, one 

 of the causes of northern Hour being gene- 

 rally inferior to that from tiie south. 



The straw, alter the grain is threshed from 

 it, might be secured in large slacks or in a 

 barn. 

 Cliester co., Pa , 13th June, 1S37. 



For the Farmers' Catiiiiel. 



Many inquiries have been made of the wri- 

 ter of this, respecting the proper time to cut 

 timber in order to [.revent the rapid destruc- 

 tion of it from worms, exposure to heat and 

 moisture, or from dry rot, :nd not having 

 practical knowledge sufficient to answer the 

 question, I take the liberty of asking fur in- 

 formation from the various readers of the 

 Cabinet. 



This is a subject of great importance. 

 Houses and other buildings, fences, bridges, 

 carriages of various kinds, agricultural imple- 

 ments, ships and other vessels are composed 

 in part of timber, to which we may add streets, 

 and rail roads; — consequently any additional 

 knowledge:! respecting me most suitable time 

 to cut each particular kind of timber commu- 

 nicated through the columns of the Cabinet, 

 might be the means of conferring a great 

 benetit upon the nation. 



The particular situation and purpo-so that 

 each kind of timber is best fitted tor, would 

 likewise offer a wide lield tor observation and 

 remarks through tlie same channels. Ai 

 knowledge of the relative cost and utility ofl 

 each particular substance to preserve timber! 

 from either of the aforesaid causes of destruc- ' 

 tion, or from any other cause, would be of 

 service to the public. 



For iliu Farmers' Cntiine:. 



Brokcu Limbs of Auimals. 



An idea prevails witii many persons, that 

 broken limbs of hor^ies and other quadrupeds, 

 cannot be cured, ovving to the difficulty of i 

 keeping the part sufficiently at rest durino-j 

 the time necessary for a broken bone to heali 

 or acquire sufficient strength to support its 

 «hare of the animal's weig-ht. 



I heard of a case some months since which 

 wa* successfully treated in the following 

 mauner, viz: Two pieces of scantling suffi"^ 



ciently strong to support the horse were 

 placed over and parallel with him in the sta- 

 ble; a piece of strong linen was then passed 

 under him and the two opposite ends confined 

 to the scantling so as to raise him from the 

 ground or floor when required ; a wooden 

 tjo.v was provided with a bottom, two sides, 

 and one end, composed of boards nailed to- 

 gether, and of sufficient length, width, and 

 depth, to contain the leg from the knee to the 

 foot, inclusive, besides a space of half an 

 inch or more, on each side of the leg to nd- 

 mit the necessary bandages, &.c. with the 

 bottom cut away sufficiently lor the foot to 

 enter and retain its natural relative position 

 with the leg. Tlie broken leg was confined 

 in this box and treated in the usual manner 

 that bones are when broken, and the box to- 

 gether with the leg from the knee to the foot 

 confined in a horizontal position or nearly so, 

 by straps of leather or other suitable sub- 

 stances passed over the horse's back and the 

 two ends confined to the box; the horse was 

 permitted to put his other three feet upon the 

 floor sufficiently to preserve a healthy action 

 to the limbs, but not so as to permit iiim to 

 displace the broken limb in the box and in- 

 jure it. A cure was effected in the course of 

 a few weeks. This was one of the anterior 

 (or fore) legs. I see no difficulty in treating 

 a hind leg by partially suspending the animal 

 in this manner and varying the other parts 

 according to the particular nature of the case. 



Cliester CO., Pa., June, 18:)7- Z. 



For Ihu I'arniers' Cabinet. 



*'Dofrs tUe Pith of the Horn wastc^ yea 

 or nayl" 



I thank Observer very much for his simile 

 of the cloak and the wind. I never should 

 have thought of so apt a likeness. 1 would 

 rather undertake to find even a hollow horn 

 than an image in nature so appropriate. I 

 hope Observer will excuse me, fori am tempt- 

 ed to say his reply was like unto the north 

 wind, — loud, rough, and empty. 



Observer says he is " willing to pursue the 

 investigation of facts, let what will become 

 of the cloak ;" I am vvilling to hold fast to the 

 cloak let what will become of the " wind," 

 or in oilier words, I love a good warm drsss 

 during a storm. 



I am glad to see that Observer has admit- 

 ted the fact, that "horns may become hollow- 

 by ordinary caries like other bones," which 

 settles the question in the affirmative, as to 

 " the existence of hollow horn" from that 

 cause. It is true Observer has such a dislike 

 to hollow horns, that he will not own a horn 

 hollow, without it has been deprived of its 

 internal substance according to his own 

 notion. 



He strives hard to show that a horn made 

 hollow by ordinary caries, is not the hollow 



