1881 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
11 
hairs of oat plant, both from loamy soil. 
Here the intimate attachment of root hairs to 
soil is plainly seen. These delicate hairs, in 
forcing their way through the soil at consid¬ 
erable pressure, often expand around and 
thus partly envelope the particles of earth. 
The roots aid also in effecting the solution of 
the mineral matter in the soil, as is shown by 
numerous experiments of which I hope to 
speak another time. -W. O. Atwater, 
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn. 
About Long Island. 
This is, in certain respects, a remarkable 
bit of terra Jirma, embracing 1,682 square 
OUTLINE MAI’ OF LONG ISLAND. 
miles, or 1,076,480 acres—equal to over Ten 
Thousand Farms (10,764) of 100 acres each. 
Separated from New York City by a narrow 
channel, it stretches eastward 115 miles, with 
an average width of 14 miles, but expanding 
to 23 miles at one point. It lies along the 
southern coast of New England, separated 
from it by a salt water channel, from 1 to 
20 miles wide. There are indications that, in 
the remote past, Long Island laid upon the 
top of what is now New England, when that 
country was a great deal more elevated than 
now, and was, so to speak, pushed down into 
the Atlantic Ocean, where it now lies. Geo¬ 
logically speaking, it was a moraine at the 
foot of an immense glacier that covered most 
of New England. Its stones and rocks or 
boulders, and its soil are of the same materials 
as now form the upper portions of New Eng¬ 
land. Go to any point on Long Island, and 
dig down from 4 to 100 feet or more, and you 
strike sea sand, of unknown depth, just like 
that on the bottom of the adjacent Atlan¬ 
tic. Most of the surface lies 10 to 100 feet 
above the ocean level, at a few points rising 
to 150 feet or more ; while along some of the 
numerous bays that indent its border, there are 
considerable areas which are overflowed by 
salt water at high tide. These supply a grass 
much used for stable bedding, mulching, and 
is somewhat relished by animals with other 
feed. Along almost the entire south side is a 
singular bar of fine white sand, rising a few 
feet above the surface, and to 1 mile wide, 
.called the Great South Beach. It is separated 
• from the main Island by a salt water Bay, 2 to 
5 miles broad, with frequent inlets through 
the beach to the ocean.—Beginning with the 
noted “ Coney Island ” at the extreme south¬ 
west, and on eastward to Rockaway, Long 
Beach, Fire Island, etc., we have sea-side or 
“watering places” visited in summer by 
greater throngs of people than gather at any 
other such resorts in the world. 
The soil of Long Island is various, much 
of it being good quality, easily worked, very 
productive with proper fertilizers. Other 
portions are sandy, and some places have 
not sufficient depth of water-holding loam 
to be always secure against drouth. The cli¬ 
mate, modified by the breezes from the sur¬ 
rounding salt water, is warmer than the 
adjacent New England, or New Jersey at the 
west. On this account it is a favorable loca¬ 
tion for those desiring a milder climate than 
more northern localities. Lying, as it does, 
at the door of the Metropolitan City and 
its populous suburbs of Brooklyn, Jersey City, 
etc., Long Island is admirably situated to be 
a good market garden for New York. Indeed, 
for 20 miles or more out it is almost covered 
with fields devoted to garden truck, and the 
net-work of railways all through the island, 
amounting to over 300 miles, since the ad¬ 
mirable and accommodating arrangements 
under the present management, 
brings the whole island into close and 
convenient access to the city markets. 
The western end of the island, for 30 
to 40 miles or more out, contains a 
large number of rural residences of 
those doing business in New York, 
vast throngs of whom pour into the 
city early in the day, and go out at 
evening, and this population will 
doubtless largely increase.—To nu¬ 
merous inquiries we answer, that 
there is much good land still availa¬ 
ble, and farms can be purchased at 
as reasonable rates as elsewhere, if not more 
so, taking into account location, quality of 
soil, climate, and other advantages. 
Horse Clothing. 
The inquiry comes : “What do you mean 
by ‘horse clothing’; blankets we know, but 
is that all?”—No, it is not all. We have 
holes are made for the saddle rings and hook. 
These blankets are made for single horses 
and for pairs, and so that they may be worn 
while at labor in rainy weather, the reins 
then being passed through the rings outside 
the blanket. In clear weather the horses are 
only blanketed when not at work. The 
Fig. 2. — a “dress” blanket. 
sketch was made from a horse standing dur¬ 
ing his noon-day rest. There are besides, shaft 
shields to prevent wear, and at the flanks 
where a small shield is seen, straps are at¬ 
tached by which the blanket may be fastened 
to the breeching, or to 
the shafts, to prevent 
its blowing up. Fig¬ 
ure 2 is what is cal¬ 
led a ‘ ‘dress blanket,” 
‘FAWN” BLANKET, 
Fig. 1.— HORSE, SHOWING THE 
prepared sketches of some of the more ser¬ 
viceable forms of horse clothing which may 
stand as types of the rest. Figure 1 shows a 
full-sized blanket, covering the neck, breast 
and the entire body to the croup. The 
blanket here drawn is what is called in New 
York a “ Fawn Blanket,” from its color. This 
is not fawn, but a yellowish brown, all wool, 
and substantial. They are usually water¬ 
proofed, and are rather expensive ; still they 
are the most economical blankets we know 
of. They are used as plain, square blankets, 
with straps and buckles at the breast, or with 
none at all; or they have, as in the engraving, 
a strap for the forehead, at the throat, and at 
the breast. The harness holes are protected 
by a shield of russet leather on both sides, 
well stitched at the edges. The leather at 
the holes is not cut out, but a simple slit is 
cut for the rings, and a cross slit, like the 
letter X, for the ends of the hames. Similar 
of the same shape 
as a stable blanket, 
but of better stuff, 
and with ornamented 
trimmings. These are 
all wool, often very Fis ' 3 ' chest protector. 
handsome, and not water-proofed. Blankets 
of the same form may be had of cheap ma¬ 
terials in large variety. Those blankets do 
not cover the neck, but neck-coverings may 
be had which button or strap about the 
throat and breast, and go back 
as far as the withers. They are, 
however, rarely useful except in 
stormy weather, when rubber cov¬ 
erings are preferable.—Figure 3 is 
a chest protector or breast shield 
—a useful article of horse cloth¬ 
ing, and which may be constant¬ 
ly worn, but if put on must be 
kept on. It is almost indispens¬ 
able to city horses which have 
frequently to cross the ferries, 
for the wind which they must 
face on the boats is often most 
severe; and it is no less useful 
in the exposure of the country. 
Figure 4 is a rubber cover¬ 
ing for the entire horse. There 
is a forehead strap; there are 
holes for the reins to go through, and there 
are well-guarded openings for the harness 
and rings, and for a girth, or rather, these 
openings are provided for, and need only be 
cut through with a sharp knife in case the 
purchaser wishes to use the blanket when 
Fig. 4. —A RUBBER COVERING FOR A HORSE. 
the horse is at work in harness. These rub¬ 
bers are also made in two parts, one to cover 
the body and shoulders, the other the neck. 
