86 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



si)i-ings under a wagon would act. The elasticity 

 liuuys up and floats the load over obstructions. 



— ^White mustard seed, whole; powdered man- 

 drake; sulphur; powdered worm seed, Chuiopodl- 

 tim Antholminticum ; salt ; ginger ; charcoal ; and 

 poplar hark ; two ounces of each, mixed together, 

 and given night and morning, one ounce at a time, 

 mixed with the food, is recommended by "Horse- 

 man," of the Rural World, as a cure for worms in 

 horses. 



— The latest report of the hop trade in England 

 shows a steady demand for all samples of good 

 quality, and last quotations have been fully main- 

 tained, but the scanty supply of new hops has ma- 

 terially restricted operations, and the sales have 

 been comparatively of a limited character. The 

 Bavarian and Bohemian markets have again ad- 

 vanced 5s. per cwt. Belgians are firm at extreme 

 quotations. 



— C. G. Cotting, Richmond, 111., writes to the 

 New York Farmers' Club that he has for the last 

 three years salted his pork hams in the same pickle 

 with his beef, and instead of hurting them the beef 

 actually improves the flavor of the ham. Some 

 four years ago he thought he would try a single 

 ham with his beef, and found it so much l)etter 

 than the ones pickled by themselves, that he has 

 always pickled them with his beef since. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 ON" BREAKING STEEKS. 



Mr. Editor : — I promised to write you on 

 breaking steers. In training steers, as In other 

 tilings, practice makes perfect. No one must 

 think he can succeed as well the first time that 

 he tries the experiment, as when lie has prac- 

 ticed on a few paii's. I may give every motion 

 necessary to go through, yet all will need 

 practice before they will become c.licient steer- 

 breakers. 



I have the following from N. L. Jefts, of 

 Sinionsville, Vt., a man that has practiced the 

 plan for several years, and now Avishes it made 

 public. I think it worth more to any farmer 

 who has steers to break than the price of the 

 New England Farmer for ten years. 



First, take one steer on to the barn floor 

 where he can get nothing to eat, and work up 

 to him gently witli whip and ropes in hand ; as 

 soon as you get up to him, commence scratch- 

 ing under the chops, and continue until he has 

 no fear. Then put the rope round the body 

 as a surcingle round a horse, and pass another 

 rope between the body and surcingle, and 

 make fast to the olF fore foot ; scratch awliile, 

 as before; then take a "tip-bowed whip," and 

 commence hawing him by touching him lightly 

 on tlie off side of his face. When he turns 

 his face towards you, scratch as before. If he 

 tries to get away, take his fore foot from him 

 by pulling on the rope ; so continue until he 

 gives up tlie struggle. If turbulent, put a rope 

 on both fore feet, and if he attempts to run, 



throw him, by pulUng on both ropes, and swing- 

 ing quickly round his hind parts. So continue 

 to do until perfect control is gained over him, 

 and he will do anjthing }'oa wish him to. 

 Teach him to back while in the barn, by 

 puUing on one rope a,nd setting his foot 

 back, swinging the whip gently in front of his 

 face at the same time. In a short time you 

 can back him all round the barn floor. Then 

 take him Into the barn-yard and drive him, just 

 as you did In the barn, until you get perfect 

 control over him, In the yard. Now take him 

 out where there are cattle or something else to 

 excite him, and drive him as in the yard, and 

 make him do everything you wish. Put him 

 back into the barn again, take off the rope, 

 and drive the same as when first in the barn, 

 until you have gained a perfect control. Then 

 into the }'ard and drive as when in the barn. 

 Then into the street or field, and drive as In the 

 yard. If turbulent, put on the ropes again 

 until he is subdued. When you have him all 

 right, put him into the barn and feed him. 

 Don't forget to scratch him and be gentle. 

 Then take the other steer, and go through all the 

 changes as with the fii'st one. Now put them 

 together In the barn, with I'opes on the same 

 feet as at first, with a surcingle round their 

 bodies. Then let the rope on the near one's 

 fore foot pass through the off one's surcingle and 

 over the near one's back. The rope on the 

 off one to pass through the near surcingle. 

 Commence driving them as when alone, witli 

 little or no whipping, and much scratching and 

 talking, and be gentle. If one goes wrong take 

 his fore-foot from him by pulling on the rope. 

 So continue until you can drive them anywhere, 

 and back them to your satisfaction ; then take 

 them back to the bam, take off the ropes and 

 drive as when alone, until they are perfectly 

 handy. 



The next thing Is to yoke them. Bring the 

 yoke Into the yard and let them get acquainted 

 with It ; rattle the ring a little, let tliem work 

 up to It. Then yoke and drive them the 

 same as with ropes. If you want to put them 

 on the cart or plow put on the i-opes. The 

 next thing Is to teach them to draw. Let a 

 chain pass l)etween them into the ring and take 

 hold of the end and pull a little at first, then 

 a little harder, until you pull all you can, but 

 at no time so as to stop them, with the idea that 

 they cannot draw what is behind them. Then 

 hitch to a small pole ; draw that round for 

 awhile, then something larger, and so on, but 

 nothing that they cannot walk right off with. 

 Then they will always think tliey must draw 

 all that Is behind them and not be balky. 

 Then leach them to "haw" and "gee" by put- 

 ting them on a pole, one end into the ring, and 

 some one hold of the other end, and swing 

 towards you when you haw, and from you Avhen 

 yon gee. Tlie object is to teach them the 

 trade, as much as tiie young lad, when he goes 

 to the machine, or any other shop to learn a 

 trade. What would you say of the master of 



