146 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



well, but what peculiar claim have they upon 

 our charit}", that they find in our ports Avhat is 

 to them a prime market for a vast amount of 

 wool, to the ruinous depression of our own 

 heavily taxed product ? 



For what are Governments formed if not to 

 protect the people from external as well as in- 

 ternal encroachments upon their welfiire. Even 

 the private citizen, who neglects to provide for 

 his own house, is by the highest authority pro- 

 nounced "worse than an infidel." Our na- 

 tional existence we consider of the greatest 

 worth. It cost us deai'ly to preserve it. The 

 price is not yet paid. Twenty-five years of 

 extra taxation is the shortest time yet men- 

 tioned in which it can be canceled. Should 

 not, then, every art, every industry, every pro- 

 duction that is, or may be American, be foster- 

 ed? AVhat did Napoleon I. in his gigantic 

 wars ? English products were by the Bei-lin 

 decree excluded. Every product and improve- 

 ment was stimulated ; every art encouraged, 

 so hat after the lapse of a quarter of a cen- 

 tury of frightfid war, France could show a bet- 

 ter financial condition than at the beginning. 



We are not now asking the exclusion of for- 

 eign goods, but we do ask a just protection. 

 We ask that our patriotism and our citizenship 

 be not dishonored by placing us in competition 

 with the half savage, convict and pauper por- 

 tions of the world. Henky C. Fitch. 



North TJu'fford, Vt., Jan. 7th, 1867. 



TRAINIIfG COLTS. 



Let the education commence with the birth. 

 The colt should be fed with a little oats in a 

 pan ; it will soon learn to feed I'rom your hand. 

 It should then be fondled and petted, at the 

 same time the hand should frequently be 

 passed over the body and occasionally carried 

 down the limbs. The tiny feet should at 

 length be raised, and afterwards the hoof be 

 gentlytapped. Thesethings should be repeated 

 till they are submitted to witliout any evidence 

 of fear being excited by the liberties taken. 



When weaning has by the process of nature 

 been accomplished, the colt should not be 

 turned out and neglected until it is old enough 

 to work ; it should still be sheltered and nour- 

 ished, the previous lessons being enforced 

 with greater emphasis as the age progresses. 

 When kept in the stable it should be accus- 

 tomed to the harness, M^earing it a few hours 

 in the stall. He should next be taken out 

 and led gently about to get accustomed to the 

 rattling of the chains. No attempt should be 

 made to put the colt to work before he is three 

 and a half or four years old. 



If the colt has been treated as previously di- 

 rected, there will be little (lifFiculty in breaking 

 him to harness work. Put him by the side of 

 an old and steady horse, and a light wagon 

 witliout a load, and handle; iiim gently, until 

 he is made to understand what is re(juired of 

 him. When about to put him in single harness 



he should be brought out and have the wagon 

 shown him, being allowed to smell it and ex- 

 amine until he has become familiar with every 

 part of it. Every part of the wagon and har- 

 ness should be strong and well made, so that 

 there can be no possibility of breaking. When 

 he is put in the vehicle, every strap should be 

 buckled securely and none left to strike against 

 him. He should then be made to advance, 

 and the wagon gently pushed from behind, 

 that he may not feel its weight for a short dis- 

 tance. The horse should on no account be al- 

 lowed to trot until h© is perfectly familiar with 

 the sound of the wheels. After being driven 

 sevei'al times he may be trotted gently, but 

 should not be put to his speed nor kept in liar- 

 ness until he is tired out. 



Most harness horses are too imperfectly 

 broken. Theii' education is too hurried, and 

 seems to be considered perfect as soon as the 

 animal Avill merely take to the collar. Many 

 young horses are soon ruined by the unfeeling 

 employment of the bearing rein, which disables 

 the organs of respiration and renders the light- 

 est draft a burden. When starting to drive a 

 young horse, the driver should mount his seat 

 quietly, gather up his reins, and get his horse 

 under way quietly by speaking or chirrupping ; 

 never starting with a jerk or striking with a 

 whip — allowing him to increase his pace by 

 degrees to the speed required, instead of forc- 

 ing it on a sudden. Keep at a regular gait ; 

 do not go by fits and starts. — Am. Stock Jour, 



LABOR. 



Many sermons have been written on the 

 "dignity" of labor, and much pains has l)een 

 taken to persuade young men that it Is "digni- 

 fied" to roll up their sleeves, and toil and 

 sweat in the dirt. Has any one been persuaded 

 that this is "true preaching," and, if so, has 

 he been prompted by it to go to work ? No. 

 No man ever worked because of the dignity of 

 labor, and the argument may as Avell be 

 dropped. 



]\Iost men work from necessity, or what 

 seems to them so, — all should work because it is 

 their dut>/. This is the word — duty. It is 

 due to himself, his friends, his country, and, 

 al)ove all, to Him who gave the faculties and 

 the power to work, that every young man 

 should take hold at once of that which lies be- 

 fore him, and do it with his might. 



We like, therefore, the preaching of Gov. 

 Wm. Smyth, of Vivginia, who, in his speech 

 at tlie Farmer's Convention at Richmond, is 

 reported as follows : "When he got home af- 

 ter the war, he found citizens of the village 

 standing at the corners of the streets, the 

 yoimg men idle — but lie reminded them of 

 their duty. He told them if they could not 

 earn a dollar a day then they ought to take 

 less, and they would have the consolation of 

 knowiui;- they liad done their duty. That was 

 the principle." Tliis is indeed the "princi- 



