1881.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
363 
■kind of shoe, and necessitates, first and above 
all things, the proper levelling of the hoof. 
When the unshod foot comes to the ground, 
every portion of its surface sustains some 
share of the weight, and also undergoes an 
amount of wear. The moment, however, 
that a shoe is applied, the weight is unequally 
distributed, especially when armed with high 
calkins, and the growth of the horn exceeds 
its wear, obliging the removal of the shoe at 
stated intervals, and the reduction of the 
foot to its normal condition. 
In the young animal, shod for the first time, 
we have the appearances presented by a per¬ 
fectly normal foot, which requires no prep¬ 
aration whatever for the proper application 
•of the shoe, beyond slightly levelling with the 
rasp the ground surface of the outer crust. In 
the case of the horse that has previously been 
shod, it will be found that in the great ma¬ 
jority of cases, the excess of horn which is 
to be removed exists at the toe. The wear at 
this point is prevented by the firm nailing of 
the shoe, and the consequent absence of all 
attrition, while at the heels, constant friction 
goes on between the two opposing surfaces, 
owing to the non-use of nails, and modifies 
the growth. The amount of this friction 
may readily be seen by examining the foot 
surface of any iron shoe that has been worn 
for the usual length of time. In so import¬ 
ant a matter as bringing the foot to a proper 
level we must be governed by certain rules. 
Any excess of growth at the toe renders the 
pasterns more oblique, and consequently 
throws greater weight upon tendons and 
ligaments at the posterior portion of the limb, 
whereas too great hight of heels throws undue 
violence upon the bones and joints of the ex¬ 
tremities. Both of these conditions must be 
guarded against. Sufficient accuracy of level 
may be attained by the experienced eye, 
either in looking across the upturned foot, or 
by viewing it on the ground either from the 
front or at the side of the animal. In this 
last position the ground surface of the foot 
should present a level parallel to a line drawn 
transversely to the direction of the pasterns, 
or what, perhaps, may constitute a more prac¬ 
tical rule to the majority of readers, the sur¬ 
face of the outer rim or crust of horn should 
be brought to a level with the firm, unpared 
sole. The sole requires no reduction what¬ 
ever, and should be left untouched. Nature 
provides, by a process of exfoliation, for any 
excess of growth, and it needs no argument to 
convince the unprejudiced that we cannot 
improve upon her plans. Those who advocate 
the removal and paring out of the sole for the 
purpose of giving a supposed elasticity to this 
part, forget that, by so doing, they take away 
the natural defence against injury and dis¬ 
ease, for which no substitute can be employed. 
The frog is also to be retained in its full in¬ 
tegrity, requiring neither paring nor cutting, 
however great the temptation to do these 
may be. The almost universal custom of de¬ 
stroying the natural buttresses which exist 
at the posterior portions of the fooWby cutting 
deep notches in them is as irrational as it is 
barbarous. No process could be devised 
which would lead more speedily or surely to 
the contraction and consequent destruction 
of all the tissues of this region, than this 
41 opening up of the heels.” I have never yet 
met with the man who could offer a satis¬ 
factory reason for this mutilation of the foot. 
Rasping the crust of the hoof should never 
be allowed. The removal of the external 
homy fibres exposes those beneath to atmos¬ 
pherical influences when they are not fitted 
for such exposure, whereby the crust is weak¬ 
ened, rendered brittle, and liable to crack. 
Moreover this process of rasping removes the 
natural external polish which gives such a 
beautiful surface to the healthy foot, and 
which no substitute in the form of oil or 
blacking can supply. The very existence of 
such a polish or varnish is ignored by many 
farriers, who mercilessly rasp the entire wall, 
and think to conceal their ignorance by giving 
it a coat of some vile compound. 
Thus it is seen to what a simple and per¬ 
fectly plain operation the preparation of the 
foot for the shoe is reduced, and it is this 
preparation which, after all, constitutes the 
important part of the science of shoeing. If 
no mutilation of the foot is practised, either 
before or after the application of the shoe, it 
cannot be doubted that the organ is in a con¬ 
dition best fitted to withstand the amount of 
labor and strength required of it. The form 
and kind of shoe, the fitting, the treatment of 
limbs, etc., are all important, but secondary. 
A Convenient Barn Scraper. 
Mr. L. K. King, Tioga Co., Pa., writes: 
“The accompanying engraving shows a 
scraper that I have been 
using several years, and 
think it very convenient. 
It is made of a hard-wood 
board, (maple, oak, birch, 
or ash will do,) two feet 
long, and five or six inches 
wide, each edge being 
bevelled on opposite sides, 
at an angle of 45 degrees— 
one for pushing and the 
other for pulling. The 
handle is a little sapling, 
five feet long, with a 
crotch for braces to fit 
into the board, and the op¬ 
posite end shaved off 
smooth for the hands. 
If a suitable stick for 
the handle can not be 
found, one may be made of any tough wood, 
as hickory, oak, elm, or ash, by splitting one 
end for 14 or 20 inches, and sliding on a fer¬ 
rule, winding the crotch with wire or secur¬ 
ing it with a small carriage bolt at the point 
where the split begins ; then trim the split 
ends to fit 3 / 4 -inch holes in the board. Such 
a scraper wall be found more durable than 
one with a simple straight handle, and more 
useful, owing to its double construction, be¬ 
ing bevelled on each edge, one side to be 
used for pushing and the other for pulling. 
insure the Farm Buildings. —A 
building may be burned at any time, in¬ 
volving the loss of the accumulated property 
of many years, and but few farmers can afford 
to run such a risk. All can afford to, and 
should have, their buildings insured in some 
good company. The person holding a policy 
is always more watchful—observing the wise 
precautions enjoined by the insurance com¬ 
pany. Explosive oils will not be used, or if 
employed, they will be with greater care. 
Smoking will not be indulged in upon the hay 
mow, as frequently as when no policy is 
rendered void by such acts. Thu6 there is a 
double safety in being insured, and it pays, 
unless the owner is rich and can afford to be 
his own insurance company, and even then 
it may be wise to have one’s property insured. 
Making a Stone Boat. 
Mr. “ A. W. S.,” Steuben Go., N. Y., writes : 
Fig. l.— now TO CUT TUE LOO. 
“ We were in need of a stone boat (or “ drag,” 
as it is called in some places); not having any 
plank at hand we selected a red beech log,saw¬ 
ed it the required length, and with a chalk line 
marked out the plank on one side of the log. 
With a cross-cut saw, we cut down to the line 
intended for the upper edge of the plank, and 
carefully split out the blocks of wood. The 
log was turned over, and the same cutting 
done on the bottom. Pieces of plank were 
fitted on each end to keep the bottom planks 
together (we needed two), and narrow strips 
were put on each side with a stout iron staple 
and a hook bolted on the front end to fasten 
an ox-chain or wdiiffletree to, and the boat 
was completed to our satisfaction—and some 
stove wood was made ready also. The planks 
need some dressing to make them smooth.” 
—The method of cutting the log is shown in 
figure 1. The stone boat complete is seen in 
figure 2, where the draft attachment is by a 
pin and a short chain through a hole, shown 
Fig. 3. —TUE ATTACHMENT FOU D1CAFT. 
in enlarged view in figure 3. Every fanner 
should have one of these handy vehicles, 
which cost but a trifle, and can be made in 
the shop on a rainy day. Bags of grain, 
haiTows, plows, etc., can be taken with ease 
across soft plowed ground, if a stone boat 
is at hand to be used for this purpose. 
Fig. 2.— THE STONE BOAT COMPLETE. 
