52 



Disease in Horses. — Water Prcof Recipe. 



Vol. XL 



From the Cultivator. 

 Disease in Horses. 



According to promise, I proceed to give 

 a description of a disease that many horses 

 were troubled with the past winter in this 

 and the adjoining counties. As a general 

 thing, it did not prove fatal, but produced 

 abortion in mares in every case of which I 

 have had any knowledge. I shall give the 

 particulars of those cases only that occurred 

 in my own stable, seven in number, five 

 being mares in foal by a fine English blood 

 horse. 



Symptoms. — Stiffiiess in all the legs, 

 moving only with difficulty; running of the 

 eyes, with an inclination to keep them 

 closed, and but little appetite ; one, and 

 sometimes both hindlegs swollen and quite 

 sore to the touch of the hand, with a rapid 

 falling off in flesh. 



These symptoms continued four or five 

 days, when the animals would again resume 

 their former condition. Three of the above 

 mentioned mares worked steadily in the 

 team ; two of these did not lose their fgals 

 until four weeks or so after their recovery, 

 when they had regained their flesh and spi- 

 rits. The last of the three, lost hers imme- 

 diately after beginning to recover; the other 

 two in foal were driven occasionally. One 

 of these lost hers like the last of the three 

 above mentioned ; the other kept hers two 

 or three weeks. One young mare, driven 

 part of the time, but which was not with 

 foal, exhibited symptoms like the others. 

 The seventh and last, a colt, two years old 

 past, lay upon his side nearly the whole of 

 the time, four or five days. He occupied a 

 stable where there were three other colts 

 and a mare with foal, none of which were 

 affected, I thought it was evident that they 

 took it from each other, and were taken 

 about two weeks after being exposed ; but 

 the case of the colt in the second stable 

 would not warrant that conclusion. I also 

 purchased a working mare about that time, 

 and put her in the first stable, where the six 

 first mentioned cases occurred, and she was 

 not aflfected ; she being the only one in that 

 stable that escaped. These cases occurred 

 from first of Second month to the first of 

 Fourth month. 



The horse spoken of, by which these 

 mares were with foal, was purchased late 

 last season by myself and one of my neigh- 

 bours. He died suddenly last First month, 

 while I was a few days from home. He was 

 driven one or two miles in the evening, 

 seemed very lively and playful, and was put 

 in his stable about nine at night. When 



first seen in the morning, he was rolling, 

 tumbling, and pawing, frothing at the mouth, 

 sweating, &c., and died in one or two hours. 

 He had always appeared well and hearty 

 since he came into our possession. At the 

 time he was taken, he was thought to be 

 healthy and gaining in flesh. I am told by 

 those present, that a part of the contents of 

 the stomach were found to have exuded 

 through the maw, which organ looked more 

 like a sieve or network of thread than any 

 thing else. I cannot think he was killed by 

 worms, because they were unable to find 

 any, except a very few bots, which I think 

 could not have so wholly destroyed the maw 

 in so short a time ; and if they had been 

 long at work, the horse must have shown 

 some symptoms of distress. 



I have tried to be as particular as possible 

 in describing all the above cases, that those 

 having any knowledge of such things may 

 be able to suggest the causes. 



I want to ask of the contributors to your 

 columns more attention to the interests of 

 the horse ; more information in regard to 

 the best breeds, and directions in breeding 

 and rearing them, that we may learn to raise 

 less worthless nags, and lose less valuable 

 ones. We have enough to risk in raising 

 horses, to warrant our taking time and trou- 

 ble in learning to avoid as many mishaps as 

 possible, and have the best animal when 

 reared. One way we sometimes miss of 

 having a valuable horse, for sale or use, I 

 consider altogether needless; I mean a miss 

 in training or breaking. Although there are 

 various dispositions among horses as among 

 men, yet if we deal justly with the colt, 

 while in training, the horse will most cer- 

 tainly do us justice in turn. 



John Keese. 



Peru, Sevenlli month, 13th, 1846. 



For the Farmer's Cabinet. 



Water Proof Recipe. — Either for boots 

 or other leather: One pint Tanners' oil, 

 half pound tallow, a lump of rosin size of a 

 shellbark. Burgundy pitch size of an egg, 

 beeswax size of an egg, lampblack three 

 cents worth, all mixed together, and gradu- 

 ally melted over a slow fire. When to be 

 applied, the mixture should be made about 

 milk warm, and put on with a sponge. The 

 leather to be made a little damp, but not 

 wet. M. 



Lightning-rods cannot bo relied upon 

 unless they reach the earth where it is 

 wet, even in times of the severest drought. 

 Do not stop till you reach this point of 

 moisture. 



