1870. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



85 



take awa}' their rich deposits of muck to fer- 

 tilize higher lands. 



These and many other considerations are 

 so many compensations for the loss of beauti- 

 ful landscapes and freshly-growing crops in 

 the summer months. 



Nature is never at fault. INlan often is. If 

 he do'-s not like some of her changes, it is 

 wise in him to turn the sadness which they 

 cause, into sunshine, by more careful research 

 into the wonderful life about him. 



THE EYE OF A HORSE. 



Having occasion to drive a few nights since 

 when it was so dark that one "could not see 

 his hand before him," we were led to observe 

 the conduct of an old and faithful horse, with 

 a great deal of interest, and to inquire, Can a 

 horse see in the dark better than a man ? In 

 this case, on one or two instances, he seemed 

 to have left the road, and if continuing so for 

 fifty rods, would be likely to plunge down an 

 embankment into a pool not pleasant to bathe 

 in, in a cold and dark night. He was pulled 

 to the right, but insisted on going directly for- 

 ward, or, as it seemed, to the left. Upon 

 placing the head near the dasher of the car- 

 riage, and turning the ear forward, it was ev- 

 ident that the animal was not walking upon the 

 grass ; but, the road being a little sandy, it 

 could not be decided whether he was in it, or 

 not. So he was allowed to take his own 

 course, and brought us safely through the per- 

 ils of that night. 



The question, '■'■Can a horse see better than 

 a man in the dark ?" was then clearly in fa- 

 vor of the horse. 



The circumstance related led us to read 

 some accounts of the structure of the eye of 

 the horse, and to examine drawings illustrat- 

 ing it. If all who drive a horse — whether it 

 be light or dark — would do the same, they 

 would not only feel more safe, but could not 

 fail to be impressed with the wonderful wis- 

 dom which framed an optical instrument of 

 such exquisite workmanship and mechani.<m ; 

 one so admirably fitted to collect the luminous 

 rays which come to the eyes of a horse from 

 the numberless objects he passes when in use. 

 A special provision is displayed in it, fitting 

 him to endure the strongest glare of a tropical 

 sun, such as is reflected from the desert wastes 

 he is called to pass over. 



Unlike the pupil of a man's eye, that of the 

 horse is oblong, instead of round, and when 

 exposed to the direct rays of the sun, the op- 

 ening rapidly contracts, so that the pupil looks 

 like a mere line. The edges of the iris — that 

 colored ring which surrounds the pupil — then 

 nearly touch each other. The luminous rays 

 are thus excluded. As darkness comes on, 

 the iris moves back, so that the animal sees 

 just about as well as when it was light. But 

 when it gets to (hat "darkness which may be 

 felt," it is hardly probable that a horse would 

 feel as safe as in the daylight. 



Another singular fact is, that the horse has 

 710 eyebrows. The eyelashes are peculiarly 

 arranged so as to guard against the ingress of 

 too much light, or of insects. There is 

 another beautiful arrangement, too, about the 

 horse's eye, to clear it of dust or of other 

 matter that is annoying. "Concealed within 

 the inner corner of the eye, is a triangular- 

 shaped cartilage, called the haw. It is con- 

 cave within, exactly to suit the globe of the 

 eye ; it is convex without, accurately to adapt 

 itself to the membrane lining the lid ; and the 

 base of it is reduced to a thin or almost sharp 

 edge. At the will of the animal this is sud- 

 denly protruded, passes rapidly over the eye, 

 and shovels up every nuisance, mixed with 

 tears, and then, being speedily drawn back, 

 the dust or insect is wiped away as the carti- 

 lage again passes under the corner of the eye." 

 It is not man alone that is fearfully and won- 

 derfully made. 



These brief explanations may give the night 

 traveller confidence in his beast, and be the 

 means, perhaps, of returning him safely 

 home, although bewildered by the "blackness 

 of darkness" which had enshouJed him. 



BUTTEH-MAKINO IN" "WIMTER. 

 The chemical man of the New York Far- 

 mers' Club stated recently in reply to an in- 

 quiry that when perfectly sweet cream is 

 churned, the butter globules are broken by 

 mechanical action alone, and the product is 

 apt to be mashed or greasy, the grain being 

 destroyed. When the cream is slightly soured 

 the lactic acid helps chemically to weaken the 

 casein coverings of the globules. The butter 

 comes more quickly, and, all other things be- 

 ing equal, it is better to have tlie cream some- 

 what sour. Many practical butter makers 



