Proceedings of the Farmers' CIub. 509 



blankets on them, and the lazy, unfeeling driver sat in his seat tucked 

 up in robes and comfortable. Now, those horses represent hundreds 

 who suffer in the same way. It is a mistake that because the outside 

 of the horse is wet when drying off after a drive he is chilled. His 

 body is warm and dry, and so is the hair next to his skin, and the 

 vapor thrown off is condensed on the ends of the hair when it comes 

 in contact with the cold. This does not hurt the horse. If a blanket 

 is put on him the blanket receives the evaporation and it is wet, and 

 the horse takes no cold. This is my practice, and my horses are driven 

 very often as hard as they can be and do not take cold. A blanket 

 does not and cannot protect a horse like his own hair. According to 

 the theory of the clippers, if a man fall overboard or get wet in a 

 storm, he must at once strip off his clothes and go home naked. This 

 is nonsense. The person is not apt to take cold with his clothes on, 

 however wet they may be ; so with the horse. 



The Chairman — As one of the executive committee for the Preven- 

 tion of Cruelty to Animals, I feel obliged to say that they did not 

 take action in this matter until they were fully convinced that some 

 reform was needed. There are on file proofs of most convincing nature 

 that clipping is injurious to horses and causes congestion of the lungs. 

 As to depriving any of their rights and liberties, the cruel carman 

 who beats his over-burdened horse with a cart-rung might make the 

 same plea. 



Dr. J. M. Crowell — I believe in clipping horses. I clip mine and 

 shall continue do so and take the consequences. 



Adjourned. 



April 2, 1872. 



Nathan C. Ely, Esq. , iu the chair ; Mr. John W. Chambers, Secretary. 

 Americak Wines. 

 Mr. F. D. Curtis — A great many persons have a prejudice against 

 American wines, and it grows out of the fact that they are put on the 

 market too soon, before they are really wines, when they are simply 

 grape juice. Now, sir, it is no use for our small farmers here to 

 think of making wines at profitable rates, and at the same time 

 making them fit to drink. They put an inferior article before the 

 public, and the tendency is to break down the market, and give a bad 

 name to others which may be good. I have opportunities for know- 

 ing something about the amount of wine imported, and there is more 



