REFLECTIONS FOR THE FARMER.-FAIR OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY AG. SOCIETY. 
36 ? 
placed for powerful action, for its direction is 
almost at right angles. Its effect is increased in 
proportion to the projection of the point of the hock. 
At n : is the inside part of the perforating flexor 
or bending muscle of the foot, described and figured 
in the cut at letter o, pages 240 and 241 Aug. No. 
At o, is the bending perforated muscle. It has 
its origin near tlft lower head of the upper bone of 
the thigh; becomes tendinous as it passes down the 
thigh, covering the point of the hock; it assists to 
extend the hock. From the hock it passes down 
the hind part of the leg to the pastern or fetlock- 
joint and the foot. It bends the leg backwards, 
and lifts the foot upwards and backwards. 
At p , q, and r, lie the principal arteries and veins. 
At t and s, are the principal nerve„s. 
At u, are the important ligamentous bands which 
confine the tendons to their places at the bending 
of the hock. 
The Hock— This is a most important joint. It 
consists of six bones, and is very complicated. It 
answers to the ancle in man. It consists of 1, the 
astragalus (so called by anatomists); the bone of 
the lower thigh rests on this. 2. The bone of the 
heel; into this the tendons of many muscles are 
inserted; it makes the point of the hock. These 
two rest on two others. 3. The cube-formed bone 
behind. 4. The large wedge-shaped bone in front. 
This bone rests on 5 and 6, the two small wedge- 
shaped bones. These two last and the cube-shaped 
bone rest on the shank-bone and the splint-bone of 
the leg. 
These bones are all connected together by very 
strong ligaments, which prevent dislocation, but 
allow slight motion between them and the surfaces 
which touch each other and are thickly covered by an 
elastic cartilage. The weight and stress thrown on 
the hock is great The thigh-bone comes on to 
the astragalus in a slanting direction, and the joint 
between is hinge-like in action, without any side 
motion ; these two bones are confined by strong 
ligaments. The hock in fact consists of six joints. 
The six bones are each covered with an elastic carti¬ 
lage and a membrane producing joint-oil, and have 
each a slight motion. The joint-oil smoothes the 
surfaces of the bones where they act on each other, 
and the bones are all bound together by many liga¬ 
ments. The weight descending slantingly, concus¬ 
sion is mainly avoided, and the bones diffuse what 
there may be. The joint has sufficient motion, and 
is yet so strong as to be secure from dislocation. 
It is very liable, however, to strains. 
We here end the bony and muscular anatomy of 
the horse; w T e shall next proceed to his history, 
and then take up the subject of animal me¬ 
chanics, in its' application to the anatomy, a most 
important branch of the knowledge of the horse. 
REFLECTIONS FOiTtHE FARMER. 
There never was a class of people more blessed 
or more prosperous than the farmers of the United 
States now are. Their crops are abundant and 
readily command cash at good prices; while every 
necessary of life which they wish to purchase, es¬ 
pecially manufactured articles, was never so good 
and so cheap. Then the facilities of transportation 
and locomotion have been greatly increased and im¬ 
proved, and this is another Source of positive bene¬ 
fit to the farmers. With these physical benefits, 
those of an intellectual and moral kind have kept 
rapid pace. Books have been cheapened and multi¬ 
plied incalculably. Schools, especially those of a 
higher order, have increased—and churches and 
faithful ministers abound. Do you think of these 
things as you ought ? and are you striving to take 
advantage of them to improve your moral, intellec¬ 
tual, and physical condition to a greater extent ? 
Those who act wisely will make the most of these 
great blessings every hour ; for they cannot always 
expect them to be so abundant, and besides, to im¬ 
prove them now is the surest way to continue them. 
One certain means of effecting improvement 
among the farmers is what we have heretofore 
often recommended—the formation of clubs in each 
neighborhood for weekly evening meetings in the 
winter. It is not necessary in these to confine 
yourselves entirely to agricultural discussions, but 
such things as have a collateral bearing on agricul¬ 
ture may occasionally be profitably introduced; such 
as the geology, the botany, and the arboriculture of 
the country; nor should we consider the moral 
means of improvement of the heart and mind en¬ 
tirely out of place in these evening discussions. 
But our homily must end. 
We have finished another year of our periodical 
being. Let us be thankful to the Great Author of 
all things for its many benefits, and look forward 
with renewed hopes and exertions for a continua¬ 
tion of his favors. 
FAIR OF LITCHFIELD CO. AG. SOCIETY. 
The Annual Cattle-Show and Fair of the Litch 
field County Agricultural Society was held on 
Litchfield Hill, Ct., on the 29th and 30th of Sep¬ 
tember last, where an immense concourse assembled 
to celebrate their yearly '‘harvest-home.” The 
ladies turned out with « profusion of smiles, and a 
display of divers samples of their handiwork. The 
specimens of horticultural and vegetable produc¬ 
tions also, nearly equalled those of previous years. 
A correspondent in speaking of this Show, 
says Our county now stands higher for its 
breeds and qualities of Stock, than any other sec¬ 
tion of the Union. Lemuel Hurlburt, Esq., of 
Winchester, Messrs. Judd and Blakeslee, of Water- 
town, and one or two other gentlemen, have done 
more perhaps than all others ro raise the credit of 
the county to its present position in this respect. 
Mr. Hurlbut had upon the ground for exhibition, 
10 head of pure Devon cattle, and a more splendid 
lot I never saw. Mr. Blakeslee introduced 300 
Spanish Merino sheep—nearly his whole flock, and 
a more superior lot was never exhibited. The 
Blakeslee sheep have taken premiums at the 
New York State Fair for four years. 
Mr. Blakeslee also introduced the largest herd 
of fine Devon cattle ever before offered for exhibi¬ 
tion at any similar Fair in Connecticut; among 
which were 13 pair of fine matched steers and 
oxen. Also, one pair of splendid working oxen, 
which took a $14 premium at the American Insti¬ 
tute last year. 
The stock exhibited by Mr. Chandler Judd, or 
Watertowp, was worthy of special note, and elicited 
general praise ; but our view of them was too hasty 
to enable us to particularize.” 
