136 FARMERS* AND MECHANICS' JOURNAL. 



and in extreme cases, I take it, an ossified union of them together. 

 There can be no doubt, that in every state of the disease, the least 

 motion of the foot, but particularly work upon the road, must oc- 

 casion the horse a great degree of pain. As this chronic lameness 

 in their fore feet is almost unknown in some breeds and in some 

 families of horses, and is distressingly common in others, and as we 

 well know, that in mankind, not only are hereditary taints very apt 

 to show themselves in the joints generally, but we have almost as 

 an established fact, that the generally carious teeth of civilized na- 

 tions, is in fact to be ascribed to a superinduced frequency in their 

 ancestors, I must continue to believe that this disease, or a strong 

 predisposition to it, is very often hereditary. 



The only approach to a relief of this disease, that has yet been 

 discovered, is the operation of neurotomy ; or completely destroy- 

 ing all nervous communication between the foot and the brain. 

 This entirely, of course, destroys the sensation of the foot ; and 

 enables the horse to go with considerable freedom till the nerves 

 re-Uiiite ; but it can have no effect upon the disease, but to facili- 

 tate its progress, by making the horse use his foot more roughly 

 than he would otherwise have done, and I cannot conceive how it 

 is possible that any cure ever should be discovered for it, after it 

 has passed the first stage and affected the surface of the bone. 

 However, I should like to see the opinion of gentlemen of infinitely 

 longer experience in horse-flesh, and more intimate acquaintance 

 with the principles of anatomy and the resources of the surgical 

 ^rt. Yours, &c. John Langdon Elwyn. 



[jY. E. Fanner. 



AGRICULTURAL QUERIES. 



[Concluded from page 114.] 



27. Oxen and Cows. What number of each are usually kept 

 on farms of average size ? 



Ai what age do oxen begin to work through the season ? 

 How much hay is consumed by a steer before he is three years old, 

 and what is the whole value of his pasturage during that period ? 

 What is the value of a calf 6 weeks old, and what of a steer 3 years 

 old ? What is the value of the milk, which the calf usually re- 

 ceives after it is 6 weeks old, until it is weaned ? 

 What improved breeds of cows have been introduced ? 

 What is the average quantity of milk a day from a good cow, dur- 

 ing the summer season ? 



What quantity of butter, or of cheese, is usually obtained from a 

 gallon of milk ? 



How much difference have you observed in the quantity of cream 

 obtained frgm equal quantities of milk of different cows, though of 

 the same age, and fed in the same pasture ? 



How much butter, or hovv much cheese, may be obtained in a year 

 from one cow of average quality, supposing all the milk to be ap- 

 plied to one of these objects, or, how much butter and cheese arev 

 obtained from a cow of middling quality t 



