1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



303 



too near together. They ought to be thinned 

 out when small, but if that has been neglected, 

 it is best to take them out later. We made 

 an experiment with mangel wurzels, and it 

 was estimated that double the number of 

 pounds of roots grew where the plants stood 

 twelve inches apart in the row, than where they 

 stood ranging from four to nine inches apart. 

 When the thinning is properly done, the hoe- 

 ing can be accomplished in much less time 

 than among thick-standing plants. 



Another important item of work comes into 

 this month, — that of gathering the early grain 

 harvest. When this is fit to be cut, — which is 

 when just leaving the milky state, — no delay 

 should be suffered. Any delay will be attend- 

 ed with loss. If the weather is fair, the grain 

 may ripen too far, and shell out in the har- 

 vesting. If the weather is cloudy and hot, 

 there will be danger of rust, and birds prey upon 

 the grain. If cut at the time we have sug- 

 gested, the grain will be fairer and heavier, 

 and the straw more valuable. These are facts 

 which have" been established by the most thor- 

 ough experiments frequently made. 



As the hot and dry weather reduces feed in 

 the pastures, all the stock should be supplied 

 with succulent food of some kind. If that is 

 not at hand, then feed them with a little hay 

 and grain before turned to pasture in the 

 morning. In this way the cows will continue 

 their usual flow of milk, and the young cattle 

 and oxen keep in flesh and continue to grow. 

 If these are checked, it will be in keeping with 

 allowing weeds to grow among the crops. 

 When the milk is once reduced, it is difBcult 

 to bring it up to the former standard again, 

 even with high feeding. The animal functions 

 have gone down as well as the milk, and must 

 be brought up again before there will be an 

 increase of the milk. The same operation 

 takes place in the dry stock. It is hard even 

 for young stock to recover from a stunt or 

 stoppage of growth. 



Stimulated by the pressing cares of July, 

 the enterprising farmer is apt to spend too 

 many hours in hard exacting labor. Cases 

 have come to our knowledge where painful 

 maladies have been contracted, and even death 

 ensued, from a want of proper care. Work 

 steadily, but moderately. Eat sparingly at 

 night. Rinse the mouth and wash the wrists 

 and hands before drinking much cold water. 



BREAKING COLTS. 



It requires patience and firmness to break 

 in and tame the colt. Kindness has been 

 found by experience to be more effectual than 

 brute force to secure the confidence and sub- 

 due the untutored colt. It is the natural con- 

 sequence of the legitimate control of the 

 human mind over the brute instincts — the tri- 

 umph of intellect over the animal passions. 

 In a combat of physical force, the horse is 

 stronger than man, and would be sure to 

 triumph ; but in a contest of mind he is easily 

 subdued. It is this force of mind that gives 

 man control over the horse and the whole ani- 

 mal kingdom. 



JNIind is omnipotent over the brute. Ani- 

 mal instincts recognize their dependence. 

 Sympathy is not dumb. It speaks in the lan- 

 guage of mutual confidence. We have only 

 to refer to the modern art of training colts to 

 verify the magic of mind over brute passions. 

 For instance, the trainer often blindfolds the 

 wild colt with heavy blankets, leaves him 

 firmly fastened to a post, tormented in dark- 

 ness, till he sweats profusely from terror- 

 stricken excitement. The breaker at the 

 appointed time quietly relieves him, and upon 

 the gentle law of kindness brings him out of 

 darkness into light. The terror-stricken colt 

 instantly recognizes him as his deliverer from 

 persecution, and follows him with the obedi- 

 ence and attachment of the dog. The trainer 

 now becomes master of the situation, and can 

 command him at all times. 



The first proceeding in breaking the colt is 

 to halter-break and bit him, to soften the 

 mouth and supple the neck, so that he will 

 carry his head in lofty style, to command at- 

 tention and follow the line in a perfect curve 

 with the body in motion. The head should 

 not be left strained up long at one time before 

 it is let down to rest. It prevents calloused 

 jaws and leaves a more sensitive mouth. 

 Much is accomplished in biting by suppling 

 the neck with the hand. The head should be 

 raised by hand exercise up and down, right 

 and left, till the head can be placed in a bold 

 position, and the under jaw will open and shut 

 readily as it turns on its hinges for food. 

 The body can be taught to move in straight 

 or curved lines, go forward or back, and yield 

 implicit obedience to the hand in every shape 

 and form. 



This process tames and subdues the colt, 

 secures confidence in his master, and redeems 

 him from fear. He can be put into har- 

 ness and driven without a load till he will stop 

 and go forward at the word of command, and 

 turn to the right or left at the slightest indi- 

 cation of the hand. He soon becomes famil- 

 iar with the harness, and the language of the 

 trainer, and will be as gentle as a lamb. He 

 will obey the commands of the driver when 

 hitched to the wagon, the same as he has been 

 taught to obey them in harness. When 

 hitched to heavy loads, he should not be over- 



