1909.] 



Shoeing of Horses. 



909 



may be regarded as applicable to the Fenland district, where, 

 as stated above, less expense is incurred in some details than 

 in other parts of the country. 



It is evident from the above figures that bulb growing is 

 a profitable industry, and there seems no reason why it 

 should not be extended to many parts of the British Isles 

 with every prospect of success. 



SHOEING OF HORSES. 

 J. T. Powis. 



Farriery Instructor to Hampshire County Council. 



In many rural districts County Councils have included 

 instruction in farriery in their educational work, and travel- 

 ling Instructors in Farriery visit the Agricultural Schools and 

 also" give courses of instruction at local centres. The 

 students at the colleges thus acquire a knowledge of the prin- 

 ciples of shoeing which is of practical value to them, while 

 the local courses enable the instructors to influence those to 

 whom farriery is a means of livelihood. The present article 

 summarises the course of instruction which is generally given 

 in these classes, and may therefore be useful to those who 

 are concerned in the management of horses, but who are 

 unable to take advantage of the practical instruction afforded. 



Anatomy of the Foot. — The bones are situated in the centre 

 of the foot, and are surrounded by soft sensitive structures, 

 the objects of which are to produce a growth of horn on the 

 foot. In the lowest extremity of the leg are situated the 

 small bones, the coffin or pedal bone, and the navicular bone ; 

 the latter, together with the lower extremity of the short 

 pastern or coronet bone, form the coffin or pedal joint. 



The Coffin Bone. — The coffin bone may be described as a 

 pyramid with a hollowed-out base, so situated as to cause the 

 point or tip to be wedged into the toe of the foot, as may be 

 seen in the accompanying illustration (Fig. 1). The sides or 

 wings gradually extend in the form of a pyramid, and the 

 back half or heel of the foot is left entirely devoid of bony 

 formation. 



The Navicular Bone. — The navicular bone is a small boat- 



