PROOEEDINGS OF TEE FaRMBB^ CLVB. 251 



SGAECirr OF TIMBEB. 



Mr. Oscar Runnels, Hamilton, Madison county, N. Y., speaks of 

 the scarcity of timber, and thinks the locust could be raised, as it 

 grows rapidly; but he does not know how to start such a grove. 



IVIr. N. C. Meeker. — In various parts of the countiy the locust 

 has not proved satisfactory, on account of the attacks of borers, 

 and it sprouts badly. Perhaps there is no tree more profitable to 

 grow than the chestnut. The ground should be well prepared, 

 and laid off in rows, like corn ground, in the fall, and the nuts 

 placed either where the trees are to grow, or in a moist place during 

 the winter, and be planted in the spring. They should be gathered 

 green, and not be permitted to get dry. The nursery should have 

 clean cultivation. Where the soil is good, black walnuts make a 

 rapid growth. Twenty-five years ago Capt. Brown, of Berlin, 

 Sangamon county, 111., ran two or thi'ee furrows around his farm, 

 and di'opped in black walnuts. They grew, and had cultivation 

 and care, and now there are rows of magnificent trees, several miles 

 long. Some of these trees are more than a foot in diameter. 



SHOEING HORSES ON TEE PRAIEEE. 



Mr. W. W. Beebe, Dubuque Nursery, Dubuque, Iowa, writes: 

 I drive and work a span of 1,000-pound horses, who have not had 

 shoes on their feet for five yeai's, and never on their hind feet, and 

 I always regretted the mistake of putting shoes ou their fore feet, 

 even in one winter. I avoid all heavy hauling while ice prevails, 

 but drive them even up and down hills, and as fust as the best of 

 shod horses. They were made lame by shoeing, but never since, 

 and their hoofs are almost as hard as iron itself. So, I say, keep 

 shoes off colts as long as possible. If their feet become tender, let 

 nature have a little time to increase her power of resistance, then 

 ffo on agrain. It is amaziuo- to all inveterate horse shoers to see 

 what substantial work nature will do for the feet of our horses, if 

 we only give permission. Against the practice of early, constant, 

 and indiscriminate shoeing, I urge the following considerations, 

 viz: The time, travel, and cost; the breaking of a hoof — by shoe- 

 ino; and becoming: tender — if a shoe comes off unawares, or at a dis- 

 lance from a blacksmith; the liability to distressing limpings and 

 constant lameness from interfering corks; the habitual corking of 

 themselves, causing long times of lameness, and often split hoof for 

 life; the serious consequences that attend the kicking of sharp shod 

 Korses; the putting of iron weights upon those extremities that 



