108 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



TREATMENT OF HORSES. 



No animal is more subject to ill-treatment than 

 the horse. Some, fmin ill temper, abuse this no- 

 ble animal, and ruin him utterly, belore ho has 

 come to maturity. Others, ihrouirh lack of jiidij- 

 ment, induce disease and death, before he has lived 

 out half the days whi<;h nature has assigned him. 

 We find but very few indeed, who e.xercise Efood 

 judgment in breaking-, in feeding-, and in driving 

 the horse. Vicious tricks are learned at an early 

 age, and it is often impossible to correct bad hab- 

 its when they are once forinod. 



We find some horses, of very fine appearance, 

 that will insist on setting their own time lor start- 

 ing. Others will refuse to draw till after the load 

 is fairly under way. Some will kick their best 

 friends, and some will bite the ostler when he 

 comes to do an act of kindness. 



Tliese are the fruits of education, and most of 

 the u^Iy tricks of horses are learned in breaking. 

 The first step to be taken in training a horse, is 

 halter breaking. It is quite important when you 

 first undertake to control a young horse, that you 

 let him know that your power is supreme. If you 

 let him break his first halter, he will never forget 

 it, and should he afterwards find himself confined 

 by a cable, he will try its strength, because his 

 memory is better than his judgment. 



The young animal should be repeatedly made 

 fast in different positions ; and he must have re- 

 peated opportunities to test the full virtue of a rope 

 about his head. He should he very carefully tied 

 till he is fully convinced that there is a power 

 above his own strength. When this is once prop- 

 erly done, a single brown thread will hold him and 

 a child may lead him. 



When you first require him to move he will not 

 be likely to understand you, and you must be very 

 cautious how you undertake to get him into mo- 

 tion. Your most prudent course will be to invite 

 him to accompany another horse that has been 

 trained. After he has been led repeatedly by his 

 side, he will be more willing to follow you alone. 

 The first saddle that is put on his back, should not 

 be held up and made to clatter like a scare-crow. 

 A padding that he has been allowed to sec and to 

 learn that it is not a wild beast, will be more suita- 

 ble than a common saddle. 



The first load that a young Imrse is put to draw 

 should be a very light one. If he gets set at the 

 first trial, he wil| remember it as long as he will 

 the weak halter; he will suppose that every load 

 is too heavy, and that all halters may be broken. 



A well trained horse is a rare chattel ; yet noth- 

 ing but plain common sense is necessary to qualify 

 any man to break a horse. Some horsemen pre- 

 fer to let a young animal have his head till he is 

 four years old, and then bring him to the bit and 

 the collar at once ; but horses that are suffered to 

 have their own way till they are four, are likely to 

 prefer the sweets of freedom which they have so 

 long tasted, to any discipline which can be con- 

 trived. The kindest horses are those that were 

 halter-broken when they were quite youn^. 



Treatment of Horses on a Journey. — If you 

 would have a horse perform much service, you 

 must keep him on hay and grain, or on straw and 

 grain. Horses that go out to pasture, cannot be 

 e.\pected to perform much labor. If you intend 

 that your horse shall perform a long journey, you 

 must prepare him beforehand by letting him be 

 used to hay an ' grain. You will find it most eco- 



OCT. 4, lH4 



nomical on a journey to keep your horses princi- 

 pally on grain. You will not always find the best 

 of hay at public houses, and if your chief reliance 

 is hay, you will soon find your team will fail you. 



Oats are less likely to hurt a horse than other 

 grain : there is not so much nutriment in them, but 

 there is enough, if you give a sufficient quantity. 

 You can buy them by the bushel, if you have a 

 span of horses ; or if but one, you can still buy at 

 the wholesale price. Some travellers order a half 

 bushel of oats for a supper for a single horse, and 

 these are given him soon after he is put into the 

 stable. Ho is thus enabled to fill himself with a 

 substantial supper and havo much time to lie down 

 and rest; and he is ready to start in the morning 

 as soon as his driver is ready. When half a bush- 

 el is given, the traveller is not expected to pay 

 any thing for the hay, though a little will be eat. 



iMust people suppose that grain is more apt to 

 injure a horse if given him wlien he is warm, than 

 at other times. It is hard driving immediately 

 after giving grain, that hurts the horse. Many 

 have been ruined in this way, but you cannot show 

 a case where grain proved injurious merely in con- 

 sequence of the warmth of the boast when he eats it. 

 — Maine Cult. 



cheese, milk, pouJtry, eggs, &c., in abundance ; 

 good school for si.x months in the year, wh, 

 their children probably learned more, because th 

 knew the value of time, than those who were dr 

 en to school every d.-iy in the week and eve 

 week in the year ; with a plain religious meeti 

 on Sunday, where, without ostentation or parai 

 they met their ueighbors to exchange friendly si 

 utations, to hear words of good moral counsel, a 

 to worship God in the most simple, but not t 

 less acceptable form ; and above all, here we 

 hearts at peace wiih the world and with each ot 

 er, full of hospitality to the passing stranger, u 

 cankered by avarice, and undisturbed] by ambi'iic 

 Where upon earth, in an humble condition, or 

 any condition, shall we look for a more beuiitif 

 example of true independence, for a brighter pi 

 turo of the true philosophy of life.— Henri/ Colma 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXHIHITJO.'* OF FRUITS. 



Saturday, Sept. 23, 1843. 

 From S. & G. Hyde— Old Mixon, Kobless 



Independence of the Farmer. — Of all the condi- 

 tions of men— and I have mingled with every va- 

 riety — I believe in truth that none is so indepen- 

 dent as that of an industrious, frugal, and sober 

 farmer; none affords moie the means of content- 

 ment and substantial enjoymeat; none, where edu. 

 cation has not been neglected, presents better 

 opportunities for moral and intellectual improve- 

 ment ; none calls more loudly for religious o-rati- 

 tude ; none is suited to give a more lively and 

 deeper impression of the goodness of God. Some 

 years since, in the most rugged parts of New 

 Hampshire, along its craggy cliffs and rude and 

 bold mountains, I was travelling on horseback, and 

 came suddenly upon a plain and moss-covered cot- 

 tage, in the very bosom of a valley, where the 

 brave sctiler had planted himself on a few acres of 

 land, which alone seemed capable of cultivation. 

 Every thing about the residence bespoke industry 

 and care. Being fatigued, I stopped to ask re- 

 freshment for my horse. A hale young girl, of 

 about fifteen, bareheaded and barefooted, but per- 

 fectly modest and courteous, with all the ruddi- 

 ness of Hebe, and all the niinbleness and vigor of 

 Diana, went immediately for an armful of hay and 

 a ineasure full of oats for my horse; and then 

 kindly spread a table with a cloth as white aa the 

 snow-drift, and a bowl of pure milk and brown 

 bread for his rider. I never enjoyed a meal more. 

 I offered the family pay for their hospitality ; but 

 they steadily refused, saying that I was welcome. 

 I was not willing thus to tax their kindness, and 

 therefore took out a piece of money to give to one 

 of their children that stood near. " No," said one 

 of the parents, "he must not take it; we have no 

 use for money." "Heaven be praised," said I, 

 "that I have found a people without avarice. I 

 will not corrupt you ;•' and giving them a hearty 

 thank-offering, wished them God's blessing, and 

 took my leave. 



Now hero were these humble people, with a 

 home which, if it were burned down today, their 

 neighbors would rebuild for them tomorrow ; with 

 clothing made from their own flocks by their own 

 hands ; with bread enough, and beef, pork, butter, 



Old Yellow Malacatune, Moore's Red and Vello\ 

 Heath and Orange Rareripe Peaches. The N 

 blesse is a seedling from the old variet.i, tind vei 

 beautiful. 



From A. D. Capen, a very large apple. 



Very large Egg Plums, from Mr Bryant. 



From Otis Johnson, Bartlett Pears and Blac 

 Hamburg Grapes. 



Fine Bartlett Pears, from S. Walker. 



Large and beautiful Seedling Peach, from Jn 

 Plovey. 



Elegant Peaches, from J. Munroe, jr. 



Chelmsford Pears, and two large dishes of vei 

 fine Stveetwater Grapes, open culture, from S. I 

 Johnson. 



From the Public Conservatory, Jambosa Male 

 cencis, (the fra-rant Rose Apple, or Malay Apple 

 a tropical fruit, of high fragrance, and rich, del 

 cious flavor. 



Prom John Hooper, jr., Marblehead, the fine 

 specimens of Bartlett Pears exhibited this seaso 

 being very beautifully colored, grown on Quint 

 stocks from a tree planted last season ; also, Bourr 

 de Pasques, Bilboa Bcurre, Belle Flanders, Fortt 

 na. Jalousie, Harvard, Beurre Incomparable, ar 

 Beurre de Isamburg Pears. 



From J. F. Trull, Beurre de Amalis, Iron, Ca 

 iliac, and Andrews Pears—superb specimens. 



From Nathaniel Cooledge, jail yard, Bosto; 

 some of the finest Peaches exhibited, with blac 

 and white Grapes, open culture, fine. 



From Dr. J. C. Howard, White Chasselas Grape 

 open culture, extra fine ; also. Green Smyrna Mei 



From D. Wilbur, jr., Somerset; Wilbur's Earl 

 Seedling Pear, very fine, now in eating; a 

 another Seedling called the Hull, large and fiu. 

 flavor good. 



From Messrs. Winsliip, luscious clusters of Fig i 

 open culture, very tempting and beautiful. "l' 



From J. L. L. F. Warren, fine specimens c 

 Lemon Clingstone, and Royal George Pdache 

 extra; also. Porter Apples. 



From Josiah Lovett, 2d, Bread Melon from Sic 

 ly, Smyrna Green, Malta, and Sicilian Green dc 

 all beautiful and of fine flavor. Hericart, Bezi d 

 la Motte, St. Ghislain, Prince's St. Germain ; Ca 

 nbasse, St. Michael, Bourre Delberg (?) and Mus 

 I Summer Bon Chretien Pears ; also, a white App) 



