154 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



those of the opposite kind. Scientific sportsmen 

 are, in a great measure, guided in their opinion 

 of a horse's racing qualifications by his girth 

 just behind his shoulders ; by this test, a well 

 known jockey foretold the reputation and prowess 

 of the celebrated racer " Plenipotentiary," almost 

 from the period of his birth. Cattle-dealers and 

 butchers, in like manner, judge by the chests 

 and shoulders of cows and pigs what amount 

 of fat they are likely to gain in the process of 

 feeding. All animals that have large lungs are 

 remarkable for the vigor of their appetite, and 

 for the facility with which they appropriate their 

 nutriment; such animals will feed upon the 

 coarsest hay and straw, whilst their less fortu- 

 nately constructed companions are fattened by 

 no kind of food. An amusing anecdote is re- 

 lated of a simpleton, who, in trying to sell his 

 horse, declared that " the animal's eating was a 

 mere nothing" The intelligence would, contrary 

 to intention, have sufficed to ruin the prospect 

 of sale, but that the buyer, with a rare discrimi- 

 nation, inferred from the horse's chest that the 

 capacity of his appetite had been unwittingly 

 misstated. He bought him on the hazard of 

 an opinion, and had no reason to repent of his 

 judgment. — Medical Times. 



For the Southern Planter. 



MOTH LURE. 



Mr. Editor, — Students, and others, disposed 

 to protract their vigils to a late hour in the warm 

 season of the year, are often cruelly annoyed by 

 the impertinent buzzing and flapping of moths, 

 bugs, and night-flies of every description, about 

 their candle, eyes, nose, mouth, and upon the 

 paper or page before them. Having experienced 

 a full share of persecution in this way, I thought 

 the grievance sufficiently serious to ponder upon 

 some means of deliverance. A very simple con- 

 trivance soon presented itself. As it is evident, 

 these nocturnal marauders are attracted by the 

 light, it is necessary simply to set up a rival 

 establishment in some remote part of the room, 

 and to render it as glaring and conspicuous as 

 possible, by crowding in close approximation to 

 the flame of the candle, sheets of blank paper, 

 or other white and shining surfaces. This is 

 the crude idea. It is obvious, however, that this 

 contrivance is susceptible of indefinite improve- 

 ment, according to the pains one chooses to be- 

 stow upon it. It answers the purpose exceedingly 

 well ; and what has for several nights contri- 

 buted so materially to my own peace and com- 

 fort, I cannot refrain from communicating for 

 the benefit of others. On the night of the ex- 

 periment, I was so charmed with my success, 

 that I did little else than recline in my quiet 

 corner, and admire the motley group of uncouth 

 customers attracted by the new establishment. 



It offers, too, incidentally, great facilities to the 

 study of entomology. For 1 observe that the 

 superior attractions of such a studied entertain- 

 ment, convoke many distinguished individuals 

 of the insect tribe, that never condescend to ap- 

 pear on ordinary occasions. This contrivance 

 lays no claim to be considered a wondeiful dis- 

 cover} 7 , but it is unquestionably a brilliant one; 

 and what renders it more interesting, is, (if you 

 will pardon a poor and trite pun,) the fact, that 

 henceforth, thousands will continue to throw new 

 light upon it. 



Yours, &c. W. H. E. 



Charlotte Court House, Va. 



NEW INVENTIONS. 



Two enterprising citizens and practical me- 

 chanics, of Westville, in this count} 7 , have in- 

 vented, or made an improvement upon the patent 

 locks of wagons. The improvement, or what 

 they claim as their invention, is this : The wagon 

 is so constructed that when it begins to descend 

 a hill, and the horses cease pulling, the bed will 

 press forward and cause the rubbers to come in 

 contact with the wheels, and just in proportion 

 to the weight of the load, and the steepness of 

 the hill, will be the force which the rubbers are 

 pressed against the wheels, to retard their turn- 

 ing. As soon as the wagon gets on level 

 ground again, and the horses re-commence pull- 

 ing, the bed is drawn back to its usual station, 

 and the rubbers at the same time are moved 

 from the wheels, thus locking itself by the press- 

 ing of the bed forward, and unlocking itself by 

 the draft of the horses. 



The inventors, D. D. Gibson and W. Cobbs, 

 have secured the right to it by letters patent, 

 under the name of " Gibson <$> Cobbs 1 Self -Lock- 

 ing Wagon." — Ohio Farmer. 



HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT OF HORSES. 



BY W. H. SMITH, V. S., OF PHILADELPHIA. 



To the Editor of the Spirit of the Times: 



Sir, — I find on perusing the "Spirit" of 22d 

 instant, an account of the successful homoeopa- 

 thic treatment of glanders and farcy in horses, 

 in Europe. I cannot express the satisfaction it 

 has given me, as it now enables me to lay be- 

 fore the readers of your valuable journal, facts 

 which I have long wished to make generally 

 known. 



In the spring of 1841, I was induced to make 

 some experiments on cases of this loathsome 

 and hitherto incurable disease, and must say 

 that the success I have met with, has been be- 

 yond my utmost expectations. The first case I 

 will cite, is that of a bay horse, six years old, 

 given me for homceopathic experiment, affected 

 with both glanders and farcy. The remedies 



