1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



63 



it was conceded that the boa had devoured the 

 horse entire. In all kinds of snakes the capacity 

 for swallowing is prodigious. I have often seen 

 one not thicker than my thumb swallow a frog as 

 large as my fist ; and I once killed a rattle snake, 

 about four feet long, and of no great thickness, 

 which had swallowed not less than three frogs, 

 one of which swelled out its side nearly twice the 

 thickness of the other parts. I have also seen a 

 very slender snake that frequents the roofa of 

 houses, swallow an entire bat three times its own 

 thickness. If such be the case with these smaller 

 kinds, it is not to be wondered at that one thirty- 

 seven feet long should be able to swallow a horse, 

 particularly when it is known that, previously to 

 doing so, it breaks the bones of the animal by coil 

 ing itself round it and afterwards lubricates it 

 with a slimy matter which it has the power of se- 

 creting iu its mouth. 



For the New England Farmer. 



VERMONT STATE AGRICULTUEAL 

 SOCIETY. 



A A'isiT TO David IIill, Esq., Bbidpoet, Tt. 



Mr. Brown : — I recently attended the annual 

 meeting of tliB Vermont State Agricultural Soci- 

 ety, at Middlebury, held for the choice of officers, 

 awarding of the winter premiums, and other bus- 

 iness. The officers of last year were mostly re- 

 elected. Premiums were awarded for various fine 

 field-crops, for the best system of preparing ma^ 

 nure, and for essays on various subjects. I will 

 endeavor to furnish you with some of the essays 

 and statements on crops and manure, for publi- 

 cation in the N. E. Farmer. The meeting was 

 well attended, harmony prevailed, the Treasury 

 was found respectable in funds on hand, and the 

 members parted with the feeling that the pros- 

 pects of the society are good. Those who have 

 ever engaged in starting associations of this kind, 

 without funds, and with everything to bo ar- 

 ranged and ventured upon without the aid 

 of exact experience and precedent, under- 

 stand well that there is work in it. The Ver- 

 mont Society is now entering upon its fourth year ; 

 and although it began in great pecuniary weak- 

 ness, it has had the suppport of resolute and in- 

 telligent men, each year has added materially to 

 its strength and efficiency, and I believe it is now 

 favora))ly regarded by a goodly number of our 

 citizens. 



After the meeting of tlie State Society, upon in- 

 vitation of David Hill, Esq., I accomjmnied him 

 to his place in Bridport, to see his celel)ratod 

 horse, old "Black Hawk," and his progeny. — 

 Persons who haveevor visited Mr. Ull, never for- 

 get his hearty hospitality and pleasant address. 

 Thougli now considoral)ly in years. Black Hawk 

 feeds well, is vei'y animated and vigorous, and as 

 playful as a colt. Every precaution which good 

 judgment would dictate, is used to promote Black 

 Hawk's health and prolong his life. His winter 

 apartments are such as become a horae of his fame 



and value. He has a room some twenty feet 

 square, high, airy and of healthy temperature, 

 with the natural ground for a floor, sprinkled with 

 clean straw, where he has liberty to roll, frolic^ 

 and do as he pleases. He passes at will from this 

 room to a stable and manger where he is fed. He 

 neither wears shoes, halter nor blanket ; is not 

 groomed, though kept free from filth l^y perfectly 

 cleanly apartments ; and his food consists of the 

 best quality of hay, with but little grain. By 

 means of this winter treatment, his blood is cooled 

 and purified, constitutional vigor is promoted, and 

 his life will probably be lengthened. Stock horses 

 of the Morgan breed, if kept too much confined 

 and too high in old age, are liable, from their 

 great appetite and powers of digestion and assim- 

 ilation, to become too fat, and to be suddenly at- 

 tacked by apojjlexy. At a suitable time in the 

 spring, Blacli Hawk is shod, harnessed and exer- 

 cised daily in a gig, nicely groomed, and fed more 

 highly with grain. 



Black Hawk is of a coal black color, has a 

 heavy mane and tail, is of splendid conformation, 

 and very intelligent. His pedigree has been often 

 stated in print, and you are doubtless aware that 

 he was got by the famous horse "Sherman Mor- 

 gan," out of a sporting mare considerably in the 

 blood of the thorough-breed. The experienced 

 eye, in observing Black Hawk, readily detects in 

 him the Morgan qualities of compactness, sub- 

 stance, a full developement of those organs which 

 give great powers of digestion and assimilation, 

 docility and kindness of temper, combined with 

 tho oblique and liigh shoulder, liberty of limb and 

 high mettle of tho thorough-l)red. His combina- 

 tion of blood is very remarkable ; and it may per- 

 haps be doubted if his like has ever been kno-wn 

 for perpetuating the qualities of the sire so uni- 

 formly in so ^numerous a progeny. AVith due no- 

 tice, Mr. Hill could assemble more than a hun- 

 dred horses begotton )iy Black Hawk, all showing 

 that uniformity of conformation and movement, 

 almost incredible to persons not conversant with 

 the fiict — all possessing extra trotting speed, with 

 docility, spirit, and that intelligence which read- 

 ily learns whatever it is desiralile to teach them ; 

 in short, witli that rare eombinatiim of qualities 

 fitting them for sporting, fancy or practical ser- 

 vice. 



It is an interesting fact, that Black Hawk has 

 ])een frequently a pecuniary benefit to persons 

 in moderate circumstances in his neighborliood. 

 Several instances were cited to me of young men, 

 fiirmers, mechanics and others, who having bred 

 from him, have from the sale of their colts real- 

 ized enough over and above tiic cost of production 

 to clear them of debt, and enable them to pursue 

 their legitimate callings to advantage. 



Mr. IIill has several young colts liy the old 

 horse. One, a recently -weaned foal out of a val 



