FOREST AND STREAM 
283 
Jp£ If Ursa intcl fife bourse. 
‘HORSE TALK.” 
H OUSE talk must hare been a very.ancient pastime. 
It is Impossible that any nation or people should 
have possessed horses without admiring them, and admir¬ 
ing, they must have extolled them. Ilomer, and the 
writer of the book of Job, may be mentioned as among the 
earliest who indulged in “horse talk." And they are usu¬ 
ally referred to as having made the most "splendid bursts” 
in that line, that have been “recorded;" though, to our 
apprehension, Will Shakspeare beats them both “under the 
wire" by several “lengths.” 
In the days of Homer and Job, the horse would seem 
to have beeu used chiefly in war. Homer makes fre¬ 
quent mention of the Mule for labor , and does not disdain 
its use, on occasions of ceremony and state. Nausieaa, 
the Phaeacian Princess, droye a twelve-in hand mule-team 
to the river “a washing," where she discovered Ulysses, 
then recently cast upon her shores. After her damsels 
had completed the washing, 
“Now, on return, her care Nansicaa bends, 
Tne robes resumes, the glittering car ascends, 
Far blooming o’er the field, and as she pressed, 
The splendid seat, the listening chief addressed 
From which it would seem that she didn’t bestride the 
“nigh wheeler.” Explaining, to “the much enduring man,” 
how it might “make a talk," if he should go along with 
her, she directs him how to follow at a distance, and how 
to find the King and Queen in the city. 
“She added not, but waving, as she wheeled. 
The silver scourge, it glittered o'er the field; • 
With skill the virgin guides the embroidered rein, Sea. ” 
From which, it would alse seem, that she drove her 
“nnile-teani J ’ with a whip and a single rein, even as the 
Pennsylvania Dutchmen do, to this day. 
it is a mooted question, is it not, in horse circles now, 
whether mares, horses, or geldings bear the palm for 
speed and bottom? Homer, in the games after the fu¬ 
neral of Palroclus, makes the steeds of Diomed win the 
first prize over Eumclus by divine interference only. In 
the second book of the Iliad—we use Pope’s translation— 
we find 
■■Eumclus’ mares were foremost in the chase, 
As eagles fleet, and of T’heretrian race; 
Bred where Pieria’a fruitful fountains flow. 
And trained by him who bears the silver bow; 
Fierce in the flight their nostrils breathed a flame. 
Their height, their color, and their age the same; 
O’er Helds of death they whirl file rapid car, 
And break the ranks, and thuuder through the war.’’ 
In describing the coming in “on the home stretch" in 
the games above mentioned, Pope has it 
“First flew Eumelns on Pheretrmn steeds. 
With tboBe of Troa, bold Diumed succeeds,“ etc. 
We think it may be taken for granted that Eumelus still 
■ drives his mares, though the language bears another con¬ 
struction. Antilochus, son of Nestor, drove his gov’ner’s 
“old plugs," and actually made “a good second” by wis- 
tbm and not by swiftness. He crowded bis antagonist oil 
the track. Even by this stroke of wisdom he but just 
landed a winner, by the skin of bis teeth, over Menelatts, 
with his Podargus and Agamemnon’s mare Aetho. In 
urging his “plugs," he adjuiesthem not to be “vanquished 
by a female foe." So when old Uncle John Harper’s great 
horse and hope—Hubbard—broke down in a vain strife 
with an equine lass, and the old veteran led him sorrow¬ 
fully off the course, the most sorrowful part of it all was 
that lie had been “beaten by a d-d mare." 
As to colors, Priam’s chariot team was milk-white. So 
were the steeds of Rhesus, stolen—captured, we mean—by 
Ulysses acd Diomed; and those of Asius were yellow. 
As to blood or race, these seem to have been held in 
high estimation. There were strains of “Immortal Cour¬ 
sers." 
“Xanthns and Batins of immortal breed, 
Sprung from the wind, and like the wind in speed, 
Whom the winged Harpy, swift Podargo, bore, 
By Zephyr pregnant on the breezy shore.” 
With these was, harnessed to the chariot of Achilles, 
“swift Pedasus.” 
“Who, like in strength, in swiftness, and in grace, 
A mortal courser, malched the immortal racu” 
Dutchman and Flora Temple were at first thought to he 
of-mortal race, hut diligent inquiry at last furnished them 
with sufficient celestial blood to excuse their performan¬ 
ces. Most likely, after all, Pedasus was a “catch colt.” 
Those immortals were “sly dogs.” In these funeral games 
t hese immortals were “barred," as it was thought to he 
hardly “the thing” for Achilles to propose the prizes, aud 
then “go for ’em" with his “coursers of celestial breed." 
When Achilles reproached them for Raving Palroclus on 
tlie field, “the generous Xantlius,” like Bualam’s “crillerj” 
broke “eternal silence” and prophesied. The Saracens, in 
their conquering career, divided the spoil—one fifth to the 
public treasury aud the remainder among the soldiers. 
After the great battle of Yermoufc, Abu Obeidali, it is re¬ 
lated, made division. To a horseman he gave thrice as 
much as to a footman, and made a f urther difference be¬ 
tween those horses which were of the right Arabian breed 
(which they looked upon to be far the best) and those that 
were uot, allowing twice as much to the former as to the 
latLer. It seems the “cold bloods” complained, bnt Abu 
Ooeidali told them the Prophet had done the same, after 
Urn battle of Kliaibar, whicn, upon appeal made to Omar, 
(then caliph) was confirmed. U. 
Digestion in the Horse. —The horses’ stomach has a 
Capacity of about sixteen quarts, while that of the ox has 
350; in the intestines this proportion is reversed, the horse 
having a capacity of 100 quarts, against 100 of the ox. The 
ox aud most other animals have a gall bladder for the re¬ 
tention of a part of the bile secreted in the intervals of 
digestion; the horse has none aud the bile flows directly 
into the intestine as fast as secreted. This construction of 
Ihe digestive apparatus indicates that the horse was formed 
to eat slowly and digest continually bulky and innutritious 
food. When fed ou hay it passes very rapidly through the 
stomach into the intestine. The horse can eat but about 
five pounds of hay in an hour, which is charged during 
mastication with four times its weight of saliva. Now, 
the stomach, to digest well, will contain hut about ten 
quarts, aud when the animal eats one-third of his daily 
ration, or seven pounds, in one and one-half hours, he has 
swallowed, at least two stomachs full of hay and saliva- 
one of these having passed into the intestine. Observation 
bas shown that the food is passed to the intestine by the 
stomaeh in the order in which it is received. If we feed a 
horse six quaits of oats it will just about fill his stomach, 
and if, as soon as he finishes this we feed him the above ra¬ 
tion of seven pounds of hay, he will eat sufficient, in three 
■quarters of an hour to have forced the oats entirely out of 
-the stomach into the intestine. As it is the office of the 
stomach to digest the nitrogenous parts of the food, and as 
a stomach full of oats contains four or five times as much 
of these as the same amount of hay, it is certain that either 
the stomach must secrete the gastric juice five times as fast, 
which is hardly possible, or it must retain this food five 
limes as long, By feeding the oats first it can only be re¬ 
tained long enough for the proper digestion of hay, conse¬ 
quently it seems logical, when feeding a concent rated food 
like oats with a bulky one like hay, to feed the latter first. 
— Exehawje. 
American Horses in England. —Notwithstanding the 
fact that Mr. Sanford's horses made anything but a credit¬ 
able display on their, first public appearance in England, 
owing probably to change of climate and iudifferont train¬ 
ing, they have been persevered with, and have gradually 
crept into such prominent places that we may expect any 
day to hear of llleir having won a good race. On the 1st 
inst. Freakness ran second in the High Level Handicap at 
Epsom, carrying 121 pounds, which was the top weight, 
the winner being the five-year-old Cato. On the next day 
Male finished third for the Epsom cup, a handicap of oue 
mile, being beaten by Dolham, five years, the winner, to 
whom he was giving two pounds, and Wisdom, three years, 
10 whom he was conceding twenty-one pounds.. There 
were twelve starters, and among them some capital per¬ 
formers. 
The Deucy.—O n the 31st nlto-, the greatest event of the 
racing year, the “Darby,” was decided "for the ninety-sev¬ 
enth time, on Epsom Downs. The first favorite for the 
race was Petrarch, the winner of the other great 
three year old event, the Two Thousand Guineas, a 
few weeks since, owned by Lord Dupplin; but the winner 
turned up in Mr. Bultnzzis’ Kisber, known previous to the 
race as the Mineral Colt, the favorite coming in fourth. 
Petrarch cost his present owner some $05,000, aud the race 
was looked upon as a certainty for him. It is estimated 
that, five hundred thousand persons were present the day 
of the great race. 
The Mustang Racing. —George Parker having again 
failed in his attempt at riding 305 miles in 15 hours, and 
the managers of the affair having netted about all the gate 
money possible here, it is a relief to know that mustang 
racing is to be transferred-to fresh fields aud pastures new. 
Parker and his associates should join Sergeant Bales, Wes¬ 
ton, and the other "hippodi'orners,” and start on a circuit. 
§atiomil $fa§tinun. 
CRICKET. 
A cricket club lias been organized at St. Louis, Mo., 
witli the following officers; President, S. M. Graffen; Vice 
President, Alex. Gordon ; Secretary and Treasurer, G. F. 
Baker; Committee ou By-laws and Constitution, Messrs. 
Gordon, Baker and Webb; Executive Committee, Messrs. 
Limiley, Webb, Julian, Dr. Day, aud Warren. It is called 
the Union Club, of St. Louis. 
The standing high jump was won by C. E. Cobb, who 
made -111. 2iu. Tito half-mile walk was won by Morritt, 
time 3.27). Throwing a base ball 803 feet, by Metcalf, 
made him the victor. Tlio potato lace was awarded to 
Varney; time 7.11. 
Dartmouth College. —The spring athletic sports of 
this college were held on Wednesday and Thursday of last 
week. The winuers in the various events were as fol¬ 
lows.-— 
Throwing the Heavy Hammer.—Frost; distance, 07ft. 5}in, 
Best Three Jumps.—Stevens; distance, 3lft. llin. 
Puttingthe Weight.—Prescott; distance 31ft. 
OneMfie Walk.—Eager; time, 7®. 
One Mile ltnn.—Stimson; time, 5 bi. 5s. 
Running Bong Jump.—R. Young; distance, 17ft. 8io. 
Running High Jump.—K, Dana; distance0ft. 
Sine-Fourth Milo Ran.—Young, 54J-S. 
Throe Legged Race.—Oue hundred yards, won by Messrs. Hay and 
Good him 
St. Paul’s School, Concord, N. H.—The annual ath¬ 
letic sports of the above school were held on the 30lh 
ult., the various events resulting as follows;— 
Throwing the Cricket Balt.—First. A. Grain, 309ft. 
Hop, Step and Jump.—First, A. Grain. 40ft. 8m. 
Pulling the Weight.—E. D. Appleton, 30ft. Sin. 
Throwing the Hammer.—A. P. Thayer, 05ft. lOin. 
Junior quartor-Mile Race.—First, F. H. Hall; lime, 1m. Sis, 
Three-Mile Walk.—II. Van Kenssalaer; time, 28m. 22is. 
Standing Long Jump.—A. Grain, 9ft. 5flu. 
Senior High Jump.—First, A. Grain, 5ft. 3in. 
Junior 100 Varda.—First, L. Jacob; time 11m 4js. 
Senior 100 Yards.—First, J. D. Cneevei; time i;jn. 
Junior Hurdle Race.—First, E. H, Ntcoll; time, HI 4-5s. 
Junior Ilalf-Mllc —First, L Jacob; time, 2m. 31s. 
CJuarler-Mite.—First, R. C. Drayton; time, 57 1 10 b. 
Senior LTnrdie Race.— First, E. II. Nicoll; time, 181s. 
Long Jump.—First, A. Grain, 17ft. Sin. 
Junior Uigh Jump.- First. G. S. Rnssen, 4ft. 64 in. 
Mile Race.—First, R. C. Drayton; time, 5m. 28s. 
RASE BALL. 
The close of the second week’s pi ay of the eastern tour 
of the four western niues shows the West to be still in the 
van, they leading the four eastern clubs by six victories 
out of the twenty-tour games played on the tour up to June 
oth, ns the appended table shows-.— 
West. Won. 
Chicago. 5 
St. Louis.5 
Louisville. 3 
Cincinnati. 1 
Lost. I East. Won- Lost. 
11 Hartford. . 3 I] 
1 Boston...8 3 
8| Mutual.3 3 
5, Athletic.1 5 
Total.... 14 
Total. 
10 
14 
In the total games won by the four clubs of each section 
the record stands as follows:— 
West. Won, 
Chicago.15 
St. Lonis.12 
Louisville. 7 
Cincinnati. 4 
Lost.I East Wop, 
8inartford.12 
6 Boston. 9 
111MllUlul. B 
14 Athletic. 6 
Total......38 
3J| 
Total 
.32 
30 
The individual record as cont aiued in the season cham¬ 
pionship table up to June 5th is as follows;— 
Games Games Games Games 
Clnbs. played. won. lost. drawn, 
Chicago. 18 15 3 0 
Hertford. 16 12 4 0 
St. Lonia. 18 12 (1 0 
Boston.. 18 9 9 0 
Louisville. 18 7 11 1 
Mutual. 17 B 11 0 
Athletic. 17 5 12 I 
Cincinnati. t8 4 14 0 
Total.140 « 70 10 2 - 
By this it will he seen that the fight for the leading posi¬ 
tion has become very close between Chicago, Hartford, 
aud St. Louis, and the close of the series of games East vs. 
West on June 17th will decide, probably, which of the two 
nines, Hartford or St. Lonis. will close the tour by taking 
second place, there being little doubt of Chicago taking 
first place. 
Germantown ys. Young America. —These clubs began 
a play match on Saturday, 3d inst., at Germantown, that 
has, so far, displayed the best cricket of the season. The 
teams are good ones aud the scores good. The fielding of 
the Germantowns was ahead of their opponents, but both 
sides missed several chances. D. S. Newhall’s bowling for 
the Young America needs no further comment Ilian that 
eight wickets fell before him for 37 runs. Fox’s slow 
round arms were effective. The first inning resulted in a 
score of 102 for the Young America and 90 for the Ger¬ 
mantown. The Germantown in their second inning have 
scored 71 runs for four wickets. For the Germantown, 
Brewster, Tom and Joe Hargreaves and Fox are credited 
with the hulk of the score, while for the Young America 
John Large added 20; Dan Newhall, 37; George Newhall, 
15; and R. Newhall, 13 runs. The game will be continued 
ou Monday, 12th inst, at hulf-pasL one. The result is still 
in doubt. 
—The Olympic Club of Philadelphia—the Knickerbocker 
of the Quaker City—had a re-union on their grounds on 
June 2d. The day was glorious for the occasion, and 
quite a number of the veteran members—who lake a hand 
now and then in the pleasaut and healthful pastime—were 
present, merely as spectators, and others indulging. Among 
Ihe more familiar faces were: Bettle Paul, Mr. Draper, 
Dr. Neal, F. DeB. Richards, Geo. Morris, Mr. Allen, 
Robert II. Adams, Olias. Anspach, Al. Balbach, Win. 
Scott, and others. Among the invited guests, who actively 
participated in the afternoon’s fun. were Hicks Bitj hurst, 
Al. Reach, DanKlinefelder, and Al. Johnston. 
Stevens Institute.— The annual athletic games of this 
institute were held on the grounds of the St. George’s 
Cricket Club, at Hoboken, on Saturday last. The winners 
of the principal events were us follows;— 
One MUe Walk.—F. Foote, 1st; time 8m. 65s. 
One Hundred YardDash. — 3. O. Buerke: lime 124?. 
Fatting tfle Stone (16 lbs.).—Won by J. O. Buerke; distance S9ft. 
^Throwing tile Base Ball.-Won by II. W. Hazard; distance 32Gft. 
Half Mile Ruu.—Won by J. R. Stevens; time2m. 234s. 
Standing High Jump.—Won by J, Kingslaud: height 4ft. 
Running High .Tump.- Won by J. W. Hazard; height 4ft. llin. 
Standing Long Jump—J. Ktngsland was the only entry, and jumped 
8f Running Long Jump—Won by H. W. Hazard; distance lllft, 
Eowdoin College.— Jane 3d was the day appointed for 
the athletic sports of this college. The hurdle race was 
won by Varney in 14Js. Throwing tbe heavy hammer, 1G 
pounds, was won by Knight, scoring 45 1-lGft. The two 
mile walk was awarded to Morrilt; who accomplished it in 
17m, 53s. In a three-legged race, Aeoru and Henderson 
were victorious in 15s. In a running long jump, C. K. 
Colili was victor, making 17ft. Oin. The 100 yard dash 
was awarded to Leavitt, who made the distance in lls. 
—The college event of the past week was the first meet¬ 
ing between Yale and Harvard, which took place on Jarvis’ 
field, Cambridge, on June 3d, The result was as fol¬ 
lows:— 
Name. Score. Total. 
Harvard.0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 4 
Yale.0 0.0 0 1 0 0 2 3 
The return match takes place in New Haven when an¬ 
other close and exciting contest may be expected. 
—This week the Ciucitmatis play the the Mutuals on Lite 
Union Grounds on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 
The Chicagos go to Philadelphia for a week’s play; the 8t. 
Louis to Boston, and the Louisville to Hartford. 
—But little fine play was shown in the regular amateur 
arena the past week, double figure scores marking the 
games played as a general thing. The record of model 
games since our last table is as follows:— 
. May 25—St. Louis vs. Mutual, at Brooklyn.. 2 to 0 
May 27—Tannton vs. Fall River, at Fall River. 2 to Q 
May 25—Louisville vs. Athletic, at Philadelphia, (14 Inga). 2 to 2 
May 28—Louisville vs. Athletic, at Philadelphia. 3 to 1 
Jnne 1—Louisville vs. Resolute, at Elizabeth. 3 to 1 
June 1—Fall River vs. Taunton, at Taunton. 3 to 2 
Jane 1—Cincinnati vs. New Haven, at New Haven. 3 to 8 
May 24—Star (of Syracuse) vs Rhode Island, at Providence 4 in o 
May 25—Boston vs. Cincinnati, at. Boston, (ill InWhgs).,, 4 to 0 
May 25—Hartford Vs, Chicago, at Hartford.4 to 1 
May 21—Alaska vs. Nameless, at Brooklyn. t to 2 
May 19—Starve. Walnut Hills, at Covington. 4 to 3 
June 3—Harvard vs. Cambridge, at Boston.4 to 3 
Muy 30—Chicago vs. Boston, at Boston.5 to 1 
June I— 1 Mutual vs. Louisville, at Brooklyn... 5 to l 
May 22—Live Oak vs. Lowell, at Lvmi. 5 to 3 
May 26—Multlal vs. Maple Leaf, at Jackson.6 to 4 
May 26—Webster vs. Oaeeola, at Cambridge.5 lo4 
—The model games have become so numerous that we 
have been obliged to withdraw our limit from uine runs to 
live. 
Creeping Vines. —In ancient gardening there used to 
he a distinction between climbers and creepers. The term 
“vine” was unknown in connection with twining plants. 
It is purely an Americanism as we understand it. In the 
old world a vine was, aud probably is yet, the grape-vine, 
simply and nothing more. A plant which twined round 
some other tiling for support was a climbing plaut, and 
that which clung by roots to walls or trees was a creeper. 
Tlie distinction has beeu lost sight of in the general use of 
our word vine, which is fast becoming associated with po¬ 
tato tops, and even tomato stalks, The term climber and 
creeper is, however, so distinctive iliac it would be well to 
preserve them.— Qormanlown TeUgruph. 
