132 



NEW EN(tLAx\D farmer. 



Nov-. J7, 1820. 



Riport of 'Thomui H. I'ell'.igdl, Esa. y .':.-:isiu,:i, 

 Chairman of the Commiltec of Iht Mcminack Jlg- 

 ricuUwal Society, on 



HORSES. 

 The chairman of the committee on Iiorses makes 

 no pretensions to a critical knowledge of that no- 

 ble and useful animal. Neither does he e.\pect, 

 by this report, to aflbrd information or give in- 

 struction to the prudent and sensible farmer, who 

 ought to be, and undoubtedly is a competent judge 

 of the sort of beast best suited to his condition 

 and profession in life. But a few hints to tlie ris- 

 ing generation, and the young husbandman espo- 

 eially, on this subject, upon this occasion, may not 

 he improper or out of season. 



The following observations are intended for 

 those only who propose to make agriculture their 

 profession ; and who prefer the solid gold to tin- 

 sel, the substance to shadow, and bone and mus- 

 cle, to gauze and fustian. 



No farmer, who is not ambitious of acquiring 

 the reputation of a dandy farmer, will place much 

 value on a dandy horse ; for a dandy's horse is a 

 part of himself, und partakes of all the frivolities 

 and coltish tricks of his rider. Such a horse may 

 appear to advantage on parade daj's : he may have 

 been taught to rear, kick and paw grnceluUy, to 

 stride into a gentleman's canter at a word ; to 

 trot, amble and gallop sideways, with a view to as- 

 tonish the rabble, and to play a tilt with his mas- 

 ter — and sucli qualifications in a horse. I am 

 aware are calculated to strike the fancies of fops, 

 fools and jockies ; but with the experienced and 

 sensible husbandman, with the real farmer, they 

 have precisely as much weight, as ruffles, tassels, 

 chain buttons and patent suspenders. — Kor will 

 the prudent farmer prefer a horse that hns been 

 educated by boys, or tutored by ladies. Nor in 

 f these piping times of peace," will he profess a 

 high esteem for the war-horses of Homer and Vir- 

 gil, or tne restive, high mettled Bucephalus of Al- 

 exander. 



By the above observations, I would not be un- 

 derstood to recommend horses of an inferior clas,-; 

 such as the Irish ponoy, the mule, or the phlegma- 

 tic, heavy-heeled Frenchman. No : sorry should 

 I feel to see one of tlie most respectable class of 

 <itizens mounted upon a rigling poney, or driving 

 after a clumsy Dutch dray-horse. The horse I 

 would recommend to the young farmer, should bo 

 of a very different character from the above men- 

 tioned. He should be selected for good qualities, 

 instead of bad ones, as I term them ; such as frol- 

 ic, fire, fury, and headlong mettle. The wise hus- 

 bandman, for a useful family horse, will prefer one 

 of superior strength to one of superior agility ; — 

 one of well-set bene and muscle, to a made up, 

 mawkish plaything ; a substantial, able-bodied, 

 proper sized horse of good education, and regular 

 habits. By a good education, it will not be sup- 

 posed that I intend he should understand the dead 

 languages, or be able to cypher to the rule of 

 three. But I would require that he should under- 

 stand the commands of a rational, merciful man, 

 and obey tljem. And what I mean by regular ha- 

 bits is, that he should be docile, and of a mild and 

 peaceable disposition ; that he should have a 

 proper regard for the restraint of the halter and 

 discipline of the whip ; that he should be ready 

 and willing upon all occasions, under the saddle 

 or in the harness, for the mill market, or meeting. 

 I would moreover have a horse stand wliere he is 

 tied, go where he is bidden, and stop at the word 



01' coiumanL:. .'sol, iikc Hi piv's hors.:, that carried 

 his ride.- a long journey against his will, because 

 he would go; nor like him of the nuid knight of la 

 Mancha, that stood still because he v/as not able 

 to go. 



Absolute perfection, in man or beast, is not to 

 be expected ; but the farmer having obtained a 



his accomplished owner is v.ithin, regaling him- 

 self over a comfortable fire " with reamin' swats 

 wha drink divinely," disputing politics and reli- 

 gion, chev.ing tobacco and smoking cigars. While 

 the happy man is thus profitably engaged in mois- 

 tening his cl.ay. and settling the afiairs of the na- 

 tion, or some disputed points in religion, should 

 horse of valuable properties, should be particular- ! his horse, from the effects of cold or hunger, pre- 

 ly careful to guard against the propensity so fash- sume by neighing, to interrupt the sublime har- 

 ionable at the present day, of changing horses. — rangue of his master, he should go out occasional- 

 If you have one of tolerable qualifications, if he is { ly — swear at him — kick him, and give him the dis- 

 not so perfect as you would wish, be satisfied ; for j cipline of the whip. By such kind of mild punish- 

 a horse-jockey farmer is little better than a pro- | ments. and by feeding him plentifully upon moad- 

 fessed gambler. — Above all, I would recommend [ ow hay and rye-straw, the horse, in time, wilV 

 to the farmer, after having obtained a valuable [ learn patience under adversity, and grow so or 

 horse, to feed him well, and work liim constantly [ derly and tame, that the owner may even skin him 

 and moderately, lest by a life of luxury and idle- without his manifesting the least resentment or 

 ness, he should wax fat and kick. Nor do I re- ' restlessness. About tliis tiaie, also, the owner will 

 quire that you should spend too much time, nor be ' be prepared to be skinned by his impatient credit- 

 very particular about tlie non-essentials in your ors, who have been waiting for years, and watch- 

 care of a horse ; such as docking, nicking, trim- ing the progress and motions of the rider and his 



ming, oiling, combing and braiding ; for a horse- 

 milliner is contemptible, and in point of respecta- 

 bility in society, ranks with the dandy. 



Some general hints, as to tlie mismanagement 

 of horses, as practised by some, may not at this 

 time be impertinent or unreasonable. The follow- 

 ing observations are not intended for the prudent 

 and sensible man ; for he needs no instruction. — 

 But to the unreasonable, unmerciful, careless and 

 dissipated, they may do some good, if he is suscep- 

 tible of instruction, and has not already sinned 

 away the day of grace. 



If you have a colt which you design for a disor- 

 derly, unruly, poor, mean, short-lived horse, the 

 following directions, if strictly observed, are as 

 good as any. 



In the summer season put him into a pasture 

 without 'ence or grass ; and if he presumes to pass 

 the line of brush which bounds your pasture, fet- 

 ter, clog and and yoke him so effectually that he 

 can neither walk nor feed. — This sort of chastise- 

 ment will not only tend to abate his natural cour- 

 age and strength, but to improve his gait so won- 

 derfully, that the most experienced jocky will be 

 puzzled to decide if he ambles, paces or canters. 

 By this process, also, you may ornament his hoofs 

 ; with ringbones, and so effectually cripple him in 

 every log and joint, and render him so uniformly 

 ! lame, that to a novice, he will appear like a sound 

 I horse. In the season of winter, he should be suf- 

 ■ fered to run at large in highways, and on cora- 

 imons ; so that he may learn, as the saying is, to 

 shirk for himself, by plundering his living from 

 waggons and sleighs. By this course of life he 

 soon becomes familiar with clubs, jntchforks and 

 bulldogs, and forms a general acquaintance with 

 all travellers wlio carry oats, corn, or salt. At 

 three years of age, he should be broken and tu- 

 tored by a hopeful youth of sixteen, who will initi- 

 ate him into all the sublime mysteries of racing, 

 jumpin?:, prancing, pawing and biting. Thus 

 educated, the horse is fit for service — I mean the 

 .service of hia owner, and no one else. He is well 

 qualified to carry his master to trainings grog, 

 shops and taverns. In order to inure him to hard- 

 ships, the owner of such a horse must ride, or 

 rather gallop him, at the rate of eight miles per 

 ■hour, on a cold winter's night; and in the height. 

 of heat and perspiration, tie him without covering 

 I at the north-west corner of a tipling-s^hop or tuv- 

 I ern, where he should rernain for the space of four 

 [or five hours, without eating or drinking, whiie 



horse. Thus perish the horse and his rider ; the 

 former by cruelty, hardship and starvation : and 

 the latter, by idleness and dissipation. It is to bo 

 hoped, for the honor and welfare of society, that 

 such pictures are not numerous ; and that the cop- 

 ies may not be multiplied, is the sincere desire of 

 the chairman of your committee. 



TH. H. PETTINCtELL. 

 Chairman. 



SALE OP WOOL. 



TOOl.EolJal Auction o 

 Credit Ga9 

 fla waehed Smyr 



R. R. 



R. 



R. K. 



I tlic 7th inst. 

 103. cents, ppr Pp 

 10 lb. tare at l.T I-: 



: qualify Lamlis 



do do 

 inish 

 t quality Laral.! 



1300 

 1000 

 1700 

 1500 

 1000 

 1500 



do foil blood 

 do bisli gindo 

 do toll blood e 



do full Mood 



do merino aoj hig.hgri 



do lull blood selected fleeces 



do grade 



do do 



do full blood 



do grade 



do bigh grade 



do grade 



do full blood 



do merino 



do 1-a lilo,.d 



do 1-9 blnod ^aTiony Lambs 



do fullbluod muriuo 



do I'oll blood and lii; 



do Pull blood 



do n-'l lo full blood 



do Higb grade 



do do do 



351-i 

 ;i| 1-2 



15 i-a 



34 1-2 



.%l-2 

 30 

 45 1-9 



30 1-2 

 16 

 38 1-2 



18 bales Washed tsmyrna 

 20 do Native fleece 

 3 do Isl qlty Lambs 



5 do ai do 



550 lbs Full blood 



2 bale* Spanish 



38 1-S 

 31 



81-4 



