I860.] 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



447 



Patent Well Curb. 



We purchased of H. M. Smith, Esq., during 

 the bitter cold weather of last winter a nicely 

 contrived " Well Curb," ready for use as soon 

 as it was set over the mouth of the well. 



We found it very useful and convenient then, 

 and it is doing good service now. 



Mr. Smith has since improved the apparatus, 

 having made it much stronger, and affixed a 

 '•'brake " to it, which prevents the bucket from 

 running down the well if the handle should ac- 

 cidentally slip from the grasp of the person 

 drawing water. 



This is an excellent contrivance, we think, 

 and we would advise our country friends to ex- 

 amine it, if they should want anything of the 

 kind. 



Jg^" Sale of W. S, H. Baylor's farm, see ad- 

 vertising sheet for terms, &c. 



This farm is situated in a rapidly improving 

 country, near navigable water and the York 

 River Railroad. 



Cattle's Tongues— Curry Combs. 



The tongue of a cow or os is suggestive. 

 It is armed with a compact bed of spines, 

 very rough to the touch, and adapted to a 

 variety of uses. With this pHable member, 

 it draws grass beneath the teeth for crop- 

 ping, and all other articles of food when 

 necessary. It comes in play in reaching up 

 into the limbs of trees for foliage or fruit, 

 or in reaching over walls and fences after 

 forbidden crops. The tongue is also used 

 in disturbing the hair and skin on ail parts 

 of the body within reach, and the inaccessi- 

 ble parts of the head are curried by mutual 

 accommodation. No sight is more common 

 in a herd of cattle than this reciprocal toilet 

 of the tongue. Here is nature's hint for 

 the use of the card and curry-comb. These 

 tools are especially called for in Winter, 

 when cattle are kept in stalls, with their 

 heads confined, so that they can not use 

 their tongues upon their own skin. 



It is said by old hostlers, that a good 

 currying, brushing and rubbing down once 

 a day, is equal to a feed of oats for a horse. 

 However this may be, there can be no doubt 

 that it greatly promotes the comfort and 

 health of liorses and cattle. It removes 

 all filth from the skin, which is apt to accu- 

 mulate in stables, unless currying is attend- 

 ed to daily. The skin is constantly throw- 



ing off effete matter, which collects around 

 the roots of the hair, and stops up the pores, 

 unless it is in some way removed. The 

 tongue does this partially, but the card and 

 curry-comb do it still better. This office is 

 performed for the horse quite regularly, be- 

 cause he is more frequently exhibited in the 

 presence of his owner, and the cleanliness 

 of the carriage, and of the clothes of the 

 family, depend somewhat upon the condition 

 of the skin of the horse. But the ox, the 

 cow, and the young animals, are sadly neg- 

 lected. It is not unfrequently, that a yoke 

 of oxen will come out of the stable in the 

 Spring, with a thick plaster of filth upon 

 their hams, the accumulation of a whole 

 Winter — a disgrace to humanity, and to the 

 good husbandry of the owner. 



All these animals manifest their pleasure 

 at the use of the card and curry-comb upon 

 their skins, and after a little practice, the 

 young stock will come as regularly for their 

 carding, as for their food. It is an excellent 

 method to tame heifers that are to bear 

 their first calves in the Spring. They be- 

 come accustomed to the handling of man, 

 and submit to the first milking without 

 much resistance. It is equally good for 

 steers that are soon to be brought under the 

 yoke. They become so gentle under gentle 

 treatment, that they are easily broken to 

 the yoke, and make a more tractable team, 

 than by the ordinary process. The card is 

 a much better persuader, than the ox whip. 

 This is excellent business for the boys, and 

 they should be taught to keep the card 

 movin g. — America n Agriculturist. 



Spayed Cows. 



A writer in the American Stock Journal 

 states that Dr. Dadd, Veterenary Surgeon, 

 has successfully performed the above opera- 

 tion upon cows in full milk, without pain, 

 through the use of ether. 



I was present," says he, " to witness the 

 operation on five cows belonging to E. R. 

 Anderson, Esq." After one year's trial of 

 eight cows spayed, the result was so satis- 

 factory that he has determined to subject 

 other animals from time to time, as they 

 come into full milking, to the same treat- 

 ment, until his entire herd, of some fifty 

 head, has undergone the operation. 



" Put away all strange notions, in order 

 to pay the profound est respect to the instruc- 

 tion that is correct and upright." 



