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1864. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



29& 



From the Country Gentleman and Cultivaror. 



Importance of Knobs on Horns- 



Horns, either on neat cattle or sheep, are a nui- 

 sance ; and they are just as necessary for horses 

 and swine, as they are for any of our domestic ani- 

 mals. Horns are a weapon that onr domestic ani- 

 mals do not need, and therefore, as they are often 

 the cause of no little damage, it is very important 

 that large knobs should be fastened on their sharp 

 ends. These little metalic knobs, which are screw- 

 ed on the horns, are not worth half the time and 

 expense which they cost to put them on. 



When I was accustomed to keep neat cattle, the 

 horns of every one of them, after they were two 

 years old, were knobbed with large wooden knobs 

 as lar"-e as a man's fist. By this means my cattle 

 would°feed at the racks almost as close together as 

 sheep are in the habit of feeding. It was impossi- 

 ble for one to hurt another with such knobs on the 

 ends of their horns. But when the horns were not 

 knobbed, one ill-natured cow or a pugnacious bul- 

 lock, would often setup a general hooking through- 

 out the yard, when some of the feeble ones would 

 be seriously injured in the commotion. Many a 

 valuable cow has been ruined because the ugly, 

 sharp pointed horns of some pugnacious associate 

 were not knobbed. 



I have always found that if animals get a hook- 

 ing it exasperates them, and they will vent their 

 spite on some one that they can hook, and so eve- 

 ry one gets a severe hooking, except the one that 

 struck or hooked "fust." But let these ugly horns 

 be knobbed, and these ill-natured, hooking dispo- 

 sitions will be softened down like the dispositions 

 of sheep. 



The Way to Make Knobs. — Procure a few bil- 

 lets of hard tough wood, and have them turned in 

 the shape of an egg, with the small end cut off 

 square. Almost any turner will turn out a lot of 

 them for half a cent each. They should be not 

 less than three inches in diameter. I always made 

 them four inches in diameter for my cattle. Ap- 

 ple wood or yellow locust will make good ones, by 

 selecting such pieces as will not split easily. Now 

 bore a half inch hole through each one, lengthways 

 of the wood ; and then bore out the small end a 

 little with a borer, that may be obtained at the 

 hardware store, which -will make a tapering hole to 

 fit the end of the horns. Bore another hole with 

 a nail-bit or gimlet, through the knobs in a trans- 

 verse direction, for the purpose of fastening them 

 to the horns. Now put them in some vessel con- 

 taining linsead oil, and let them become well satu- 

 rated with oil. This will prevent their checking 

 in the sun, and keep them from shrinking and get- 

 ting loose. Mv practice was to make a lot of them 

 at one time, so that they would always be ready 

 for use. 



The Wat to Put them on the Horns. — If an an- 

 imal will not stand still without tying, fasten his 

 head firmly to a low post or to a piece of timber, 

 which is faaatened in a horizontal position to two 

 posts, which will be much more convenient than a 

 post. 



l^Fit the knobs to the horns by whittling with a 

 sharp knife either the horns or the knobs, or both 

 of them. When the knob fits well, thrust in a 

 nail gimlet, and mark the horn on both sides. Then 

 bore the hole both ways, and draw-bore the holes a 

 little. 



F'or fastening on the knobs pieces of wire are 

 much better than nails. Procure some wire of the 

 size of the gimlet and cut off pieces not quite long 

 enough to reach through the knobs. Grind or file 

 one end to a point so that it will follow the hole 

 well. Put on a knob just as it was marked, and 

 let one man hold a heavy piece of iron or stone on 

 one side of the knob while the wire pin is driven 

 in. Let the pins be driven in by smart blows, in- 

 stead of little raps, as pounding on the horns is 

 very much like pounding on the forehead, and : 

 some cattle are very sensitive about blows about 

 the head. But by holding a heavy weight oppo- 

 site the hammer, they will feel but little of the 

 coiicassion. 



Here is another very important consideration 

 about boring the horns. In the horns of young 

 animals the quick or live pith extends to within a , 

 half inch or so of the tips. Therefore the pin holes J 

 must be bored very near the small ends, or the 

 gimlet will enter the quick. In the horns of older 

 animals pin holes ma be bored twoor more inches, 

 if necessary, from the tips, without touching the 

 quick. 



When neat cattle are allowed to run in the same 

 enclosure with horses or sheep it is very important 

 that every horn should be mounted with a large 

 knob. S. Edwards Todd. 



Auburn, N. Y. 



Transactions of the Illinois State Horticul- 

 tural Society for 1863. — There is one important 

 fact that is urged on us year after year as we look 

 over our subscription lists and note the steady in- 

 crease from the State of Illinois, and that is the 

 prominence which is given to Horticulture 

 throughout the length and breadth of the Garden 

 State. Everybody has heard of the Massachusetts 

 State Horticultural Society, that is one of the fixed 

 institutions of our country. Something is occa- 

 sionally said of th^vPennsylvania State Horticultu- 

 ral Society ; but whoever heard cf the State Hor- 

 ticultural Society of the Empire State, or that of 

 Strawberry-growing and Peach-raising in New 

 Jersey. If we mistake not the indications before 

 us, Massachusetts will have to look well to her lau- 

 rels. These Western States do not grow nor move 

 slowly. Illinois has not yet distinguished herself 

 in doing anything in a small way, and her State 

 Horticultural Society does not appear to be organ- 

 ized on any other foundation than a broad, liberal 

 and comprehensive one ; it has all the elements of 

 talent, financial ability, energy and success. The 

 prominent and influential men of the State are 

 amrng its members, and it possesses a vitality that 

 has already marked out a prominent position. The 

 Transactions for 1863 can be had bound and post- 

 paid by mail for 90 cents. Address W. C. Flagg, 

 Cor. Secretary, Alton, 111. — Horticvlturut. 



J^" There is no egg so fresh as that from the 

 farm. There is no milk so rich as the farmer's. 

 No water so pure as from the spring or well where 

 no city streets foul it. No health so good as the 

 farmer's — no life so free from offense. How he 

 sleeps ! how he enjoys his meals ! what an air he 

 breathes ! What an independent life he lives, giv- 

 ing bread to the world ! 



