ROMAN AGRICULTURAL IFRITERS. 43 



accomplished as follows. Two or three strong Mongols 

 watch their opportunity, and when the creature is still 

 reposing and off its guard, they make a simultaneous rush 

 upon it, throw it on its side, and in a few seconds of time 

 secure it ; then with much dexterity a square piece of 

 leather, large enough to cover the bruised place, is applied, 

 and nimbly, yet Jirmly stitched luith a slightly curvet 

 needle to the foot, through the thick skin of the sole. After 

 this the beast is able at once to resume its toil. 



This is bold treatment, and eminently suggestive of 

 that originality which must have prompted the desperate 

 attempt, when made for the first time, to nail a rim of 

 iron to the horse's foot. The one appears at first sight as 

 hazardous as the other, and were we still ignorant of the 

 art of nail-shoeing, I fear many of us would be incredulous 

 if told that it was practised by other nations. 



Roman writers on agriculture and other subjects are 

 silent on that of shoeing, as it is now understood ; though 

 from the general minuteness with which they treat all 

 details connected with their studies, had they not been 

 unconscious of it altogether, it must, one cannot help con- 

 cluding, have received at least some passing allusion. 

 Nearly all, however, speak of the deperdition of the hoofs, 

 and the qualities they should possess to enable them to 

 withstand wear. 



Marcus P. Cato, commonly designated the Censor 

 (b.c. 2,34-149), says nothing in reference to this matter in 

 his ' De Re Rustica.' 



Marcus Varro (b.c 60), in his celebrated work, when 

 advising as to the choice of a horse, says : ' It ought to 

 have upright, straight, and symmetrical limbs, round 



