AMBKilOAN AGRICULTURIST 
393 
yearling, got by Mr. Morris’s Frank Quartly, 
out of one of his choicest imported cows. 
We do not mention the herd of cows more 
particularly, in consequence of having no¬ 
ticed them in a previous volume of our jour¬ 
nal. Mr. F. expects to add several more 
Devon heifers to his herd, to arrive from 
England next month. His son is now there 
to select for him. 
RINGBONE. 
From a late article on this subject by Mr. 
Percival, a distinguished Veterinary Surgeon, 
we learn that this affection, for which there 
are so many “ sure cures,” arises from a 
weakness of the pastern joint, and what is 
called ringbone is a callus formed around it 
for its protection and support. If we could 
succeed in removing this enlargement by the 
cross incisions with a chisel, or by binding 
on live toads, or by cutting out little blad¬ 
ders—which, bursa , by the way, belong there 
and have nothing to do with the ringbone— 
or by compelling the horse to wear a bar of 
lead to drive the bone down through the 
hoof, we should do— Well, what 1 Why, 
we should remove the splint with which 
nature supports the weakened joint. 
In process of time this joint, too weak for 
its duties, is mended by being made stiff, yet 
more or less of the temporary apparatus for 
its support always remains. So the imper¬ 
fect use of the foot that follows, is not due 
to the bony tumor, but is a consequence of 
the stiff joint. 
This disease is more likely to occur in 
colts of a peculiar formation of foot and of 
weak constitution, and as both these matters 
are transmitted in breeding stock, ringbone 
is a hereditary disease, and so horses or 
mares affected with it should not be used 
for reproduction. The practice of American 
farmers of breeding from mares so heavey, 
spavined and ringboned and otherwise dis¬ 
eased as to be worthless for any other pur¬ 
pose, will soon deteriorate the best imported 
blood. Mr. Percival, on the causes of this 
affection, says : 
A coarse or half bred, fleshy or bony- 
legged horse, with short and upright pasterns, 
is the-ordinary subject of this disease ; and 
there exist satisfactory reasons why we 
should expect him to be so. The pastern 
and coffin bones constitute the nethermost 
parts—the pedestals—of the column of bones 
composing the limbs, and being so, they 
receive the entire weight and force trans¬ 
mitted from above. The pastern, being long 
and oblique in position, receives the superin¬ 
cumbent weight in such an indirect line, that, 
bending towards the ground with the fetlock, 
nothing like jar or concussion follows. The 
very reverse of this, however, happens every 
time the foot of a limb having a short, upright 
pastern, comes to the ground. In such, 
instead of the weight decending obliquely 
upon the sessamoids, (two small bones at the 
posterior and inferior part the fetlock joint,) 
and the fetlock bending therewith, it de¬ 
scends directly, or nearly so, upon the 
pastern, making this bone entirely dependent 
on one beneath it—the coronet—for counter¬ 
acting concussion; and should any thing 
occur to diminish this, or to throw more 
weight on the bones beneath than they can 
counteract, jar of the whole apparatus 
ensues ; and an effort of nature to strengthen 
he parts, by investing them with callus and 
ossification, is likely to be the ultimate result. 
For we would view ringbone, disease though it 
must assuredly be called, as frequently, in 
young horses, a recourse of nature to 
strengthen weak parts—the bones being 
unequal to the exertions or efforts required of 
them.” 
To the last sentence of this quotation we 
wish to call special attention. It is worthy 
of being written in letters of gold, as an ex¬ 
emplification of a grand general principle 
that pervades all the works of animated na¬ 
ture. 
Most of the so-called diseases that horse 
and cattle doctors amuse themselves by 
curing, are only symptoms —mere steps by 
which nature is restoring or attempting to 
restore a diseased part. Thus a boil is no¬ 
thing but an operation by which a little piece 
of dead flesh, called the core, is separated 
and expelled from the living flesh that sur¬ 
rounds it; a felon is the opening of a pass¬ 
age through the thick tendonous sheaths of 
the fingers, for a like purpose. Again we 
say, disease is not a thing, it is a process. 
We have seen ringbones treated in many 
different ways, yet with no more benefit than 
arises from the relief of internal inflamma¬ 
tion by counter irritation. From what is 
stated above, it follows that, rest is of the 
first importance; that, if the animal be 
young, it should be better fed; should not be 
incited to any undue exertion; that an irri¬ 
tating liniment, or even a blister, should be 
applied to the foot for the relief of the joint, 
and that, after the disease has existed for 
some time and the joint has become stiff, all 
treatment must prove unavailing—and it 
should be let alone. 
National Agricultural Society. —We 
have just received a letter from Col. Wilder, 
the President of this Society, in which he 
says, that the beautiful site, recently selected 
for the forthcoming show, is rapidly assum¬ 
ing its appropriate shape for the occasion by 
grading, inclosing, &c. The premium list 
is in press and will soon be issued, and will 
be such as to tempt the owners and lovers of 
fine stock and agricultural products and im¬ 
plements, to one of the finest displays ever 
made in this country. 
Sale of Devon Cattle.— We desire to 
call attention to the sale of Devon cattle, 
of Mr. George Vail, advertised at Page 398 
of this number of our paper. We believe 
this is the first Public Devon sale attempted 
in this country, but we see no reason why 
it should not be as successful as those of 
Short Horns. Mr. Vail is said to have a fine 
herd, and the bull is considered an excellent 
getter. We hope there will be a full attend¬ 
ance by the breeders and amateurs of these 
beautiful cattle. 
Excelsior.— After our next issue we shall 
have the time and thought of a whole month, 
instead of a single week, to devote to each 
number of the Agriculturist, and we hope to 
greatly improve its pages in the amount of 
practically useful matter. The house¬ 
hold or domestic department is set down for 
more special attention than we have hereto¬ 
fore been able to bestow upon it. 
No Change Really. —A subscriber writing 
from Delaware, says “ he shall sadly miss 
the weekly visits of the Agriculturist.” Not 
so, friend. All the present and past edito¬ 
rial force of the Agriculturist will still be ex¬ 
pended upon the two papers which you will 
receive for the same money. We shall 
write no less, but by supplying another 
weekly paper whose agricultural matter we 
prepare ourselves, we get rid of the extra 
labor of getting up a weekly paper, the work 
being done by the publishers of the Times, 
and we are at leisure to labor more upon the 
editorial matter of the two papers. 
The Agriculturist will be no less valuable, 
but much more so, while the Times —to say 
nothing of its other news—will also furnish 
a large amount of agricultural matter in ad¬ 
dition to that of the Agriculturist. Our sub¬ 
scribers will be greatly the gainers by this 
arrangement. We shall have less likeli¬ 
hood of making money, but a greater chance 
to do what we most wish to do, viz : to get 
up a better paper. 
To Correspondents. —We have on hand a 
number of favors not yet attended to. Long 
letters on crops, &c., from New-Jersey and 
Deleware, came just as “we t are finishing 
this number, which will be late for notice 
next week. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
HOLLOW WALLS. 
Following the advice of the late A. J. 
Downing (see ‘ Downing’s Country Houses,’ 
pp. 57-8), I built my residence, two years 
ago, with hollow walls, wetting the brick as 
they -were laid. 
The method of laying the brick may be 
seen at a glance, by consulting Mr. Down¬ 
ing’s work; and may be varied at pleasure 
to suit any kind of brick or stone building. 
The following are some of the advantages 
of this very superior mode of construction : 
1. A saving of one-fourth to one-eighth in 
the amount of brick and mortar required. 
2. As the joints are continually broken, 
each brick acting as a binder, and every 
third or fourth brick being a tie-brick, a much 
stronger wall is the result. A trial experi¬ 
ment-conducted under my supervision- 
showed the hollow wall capable of resisting 
a shock more than double as great as did a 
wall built in the ordinary manner. 
3. The prevention of all dampness on the 
inside wall. 
4. Coolness in summer and warmth in 
winter, the stratum of air confined between 
the outer and inner wall acting as a non¬ 
conductor in both cases. 
5. The saving of lathing and studding ; as 
it is perfectly safe to plaster against the 
wall. 
6. The hollow spaces may be used, as I 
use them, as a means of ventilation for ev¬ 
ery room in the house, by leaving out one 
or two brick, in the proper flue, in the ex¬ 
ternal wall near the roof. 
7. “ Mainly,” to quote Mr. Downing, “ in 
the great security afforded against fire. 
Four-fifths of our houses are still built with 
hollow wooden partitions, and walls with 
