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lg65. 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMER. 



85. 



vicious as to be entirely valueless : though it is a 

 rule that development of form and disposition cor- 

 respond to each other. Yet the horse being one 

 of the most intelligent of the animal creation, and 

 easily trained into objectionable as well as desira- 

 ble habits, it behooves every one having the care 

 of young horses and colts, to guard carefully the 

 influenees brought to bear upon their disposi- 

 tion. The usual custom throughout the West is 

 to let them run wild almost, until three or four 

 years old, and then put them through — not a regu- 

 lar system of " breaking," — ^but such exercises as 

 the disposition of the master might dictate at the 

 moment, and which often exhibited far more of 

 the spleen and irritability, impatience, and vio- 

 lence of temper of the' man, than of care for the 

 horse. Almost the first experience of life the colt 

 gets, after he has learned the use of his legs, is a 

 pelting with small stones, clods, sticks, or switches 

 from mischievous boys, who delight in his infantile 

 antics to avoid his persecutors : and thus from the 

 first, he learns to look upon man as an enemy to 

 be dreaded and avoided, while evil disposings to 

 kick, strike. &c., and ill nature generally, are 

 forced upon him. Age and strength accumulate, 

 and with them ill treatment, (for the amusement 

 of its master it (may be, or by virtue of their 

 thoughtless disregard of causes and efiects,) until, 

 when large and old enough to become serviceable, 

 the diflScult and dangerous process of "breaking" 

 becomes necessary. And it too often happens, 

 that when this is well done, as all admit it should 

 be, the horse is really broken, and has lost all that 

 spirit and nobleness so much admired in this truly 

 noble animal. The whole ideai of "breaking" im- 

 plies, in fact a necessary evil ; is part of the same 

 philosophy which once made our school-houses de- 

 positories of birch, and theaters of tragic cruelly ; 

 a philosophy which, thanks to enlightened progress, 

 is rapidly passing away. 



The colt should be accustomed to kindness, and 

 gentle, yet firm handling, from the first, and in 

 this manner learn perfect obedience to his mas- 

 ter's will. The halter may, indeed should be, 

 placed upon him when quite young, and he should 

 learn to be guided by it in any direction, with 

 ease ; and as he grows up, one lesson after another 

 may be added, as the owner's wishes or fancy may 

 dictate, until, when the time comes that his ser- 

 vices are demanded, he is ready trained for the 

 service, educated in the way he should go, and will 

 walk in it. The whole process should be one of 

 careful avoidance of influences tending to create 

 bad habits, teaching the animal what it will be re- 

 quired to know, before that requisition comes, and 

 by education supersede the necessity for the un- 

 philosophical, and often brutal " breaking." 



The advantages of careful training during growth 

 are many and important. It aflfbrds the best pos- 

 sible means of developing the animal in every re- 

 spect ; keeps him under the constant care of the 

 owner, and induces him to think and reason upon 

 what he does — creates a sympathy, so to term it, 

 between them, which elevates the character of 

 both. It prevents the vicious habits usually en- 

 gendered from carelessness of the owner, and which 

 cannot always be eradicated, and avoids the cruel- 

 ty and abuse of "breaking." The horse may be 

 made tractable, reliable, and safe, without havin? 

 ins energy and spirit crushed out of him ; and hi 

 may be noble, active and proud in his movements, 



without being restive, irritable and treacherous, and 

 as a consequcnce,will be more easily kept in fine con- 

 dition and good health. It is only a continuation of 

 the principles of breeding, extended to the full de- 

 velopment of the animal, here advocated: and, 

 while all cannot be equally successful in this, as in 

 any other of the pursuits of life, all will be more 

 successful, and richly rewarded for ^heir;efFort to 

 attain it. The principal reasons fo: the general 

 untrained character of hoi-ses, seem to be the lack 

 of any systematic effort at training, and the un- 

 controlled passions of those who have the hand- 

 ling and care of horses. It is no uncommon tMng 

 to see angry bipeds venting their passion upon un- 

 offending animals, as the most convenient recipi- 

 ent of their ire. And such scenes are not confined 

 to the street, the highway, or the farm ; but are 

 found in all. The effects are mischievous, and ru- 

 inous to the best interests of the owner, because 

 injuring and depreciating in value his property in 

 the market. Horse education, really, is a market- 

 able commodity, and may be, indeed always is, es- 

 timated in dollars and cents. — Vet. Jour, 



Faibbaxk's Scales. — Weighed in the "bal- 

 ance of a just criticism, all are obliged to admit 

 that the scales of Fairbanks & Co. are, without 

 exception, the best ever invented. We know 

 whereof we aflSrm, because we have tested their 

 value, and are fully satisfied of their^ superior 

 merits. The introduction of these scales has 

 wrought a revolution in the transaction of va- 

 rious business, and their accuracy is such thatja 

 uniformity in weights has been established ail 

 over the country, thus making them a national 

 legalized standard. Nor are they confined to 

 the United States; they have found their way 

 to almost every part of the civilized world, and 

 are adapted to the standards of all countries, so 

 that it may be said, all nations, if not '• weighed 

 in these balances, at least weigh by them. — 

 Eunfs Merehanti Magazine. 



From the Scottish Farmer. 



McCbrmick's Eeaper in Scotland. 



We understand that Mr. Alexander of Taylorton, 

 near Stirling, who owns one of Mr. McCormick'a 

 new reaping machines, is very much pleased with 

 the work it has been performing on his farm. With 

 three horses he can work the machine all day with- 

 out overstraining the animals too much, while he 

 can cut more with it than he can with two of the 

 small manual delivering machines, which of course 

 require four horses to draw them. With Mr. Mc- 

 Cormick's machine, Mr. Alexander cuts round and 

 round the field without regard to the lay of the 

 grain ; the cutting and the sheaving being alikft 

 satisfactory to himself and those of his neighb(M» 

 who have witnessed the operations. He cut six- 

 teen acres in two days pf twelve hours, the horses 

 working the whole day without any chiffi^ al- 

 though the crop was in many places,Biuch laid 

 and twisted. The cutting was excell^t, aiidtiie 

 sheaves very equally laid. On Friday, the macbine 

 is to be tried in a crop of beans, in a fidd near 

 Stirling, when we have no doubt the owner will be 

 glad to explain the working to all who ai¥"mter- 

 ested. j» 



anhift'i 



