224 
BREAKING STEERS, ETC. 
weather, when fermentation might be expected, all 
is removed at once to the fields where wanted, un¬ 
diminished by washing rains or the escape of the 
nutritious gases. In warm weather, such stalls 
should be cleaned as often as may be necessary. 
With such stalls, there can never be danger of over¬ 
heating, nor foul air, when properly ventilated ; and 
the footing for the animals is best suited to preserve 
sound hoofs, as it is sufficiently soft and elastic, 
and yet where suffered to run loose, their frequent 
treading over every part maintains a proper firmness. 
Stables, compactly arranged, are, however, most 
frequently used. If built upon a clay or damp 
soil, the floors ought to be well raised above the 
surface, to allow a free circulation of air under¬ 
neath, and carry off all dampness before it 
reaches the stable. If the floors could be conven¬ 
iently raised, so as to allow of removing the com¬ 
post from below, the urine might be suffered to drop 
from the floor directly upon it. Where this ar¬ 
rangement is impracticable, a slight inclination, (and 
only a slight one,) should be given to the floor, by 
which the liquid is carried to a gutter, through 
which it should pass directly off, and beyond the 
possibility of future annoyance to the animals. In 
addition, it is well to wash the floors occasionally, 
and scatter gypsum plentifully over them, to re¬ 
move and absorb the constantly-accumulating am¬ 
monia. This is life to the soil, but disease to the 
horse; its proper disposition, is, therefore, as bene¬ 
ficial to the former as injurious to the latter. 
Almost every disease may have its origin in damp, 
ill-ventilated stables, colds, coughs, catarrhs, swollen 
legs, grease, mange, inflammation of the eyes and 
throat, a rough, harsh coat, that no grooming can 
lay smooth, and even farcy and glanders are by 
some attributed to these causes. The stamina, 
constitution,and strength of the horse being thus 
impaired, his spirit flags, he becomes dulled by the 
incipient diseases, which are fast creeping upon 
him, and thus, even those preliminary evils, carry 
with them one half the value of a spirited animal. 
The underground stables, so generally used in cities, 
do more to wear out the horse and bring him to an 
untimely end, than the daily labor required of him. 
Much can be effected by perfect drainage, thorough 
ventilation, and the use of absorbents, (tan bark, 
sawdust, gypsum, &c.,) towards removing the 
humidity and deleterious gases; but where many 
horses are crowded into an underground room, there 
is hardly a possibility of their comfort and health 
being duly regarded. The loss which has fre¬ 
quently occurred from fire, where no outlet existed, 
except through a single door, instead of having 
double doors where half a dozen can be led out 
abreast at each end, would, on the score of self-in¬ 
terest, if not humanity, lead to ample provision for 
ventilation and escape. 
Equality of temperature is highly necessary to 
the horse when at rest. Brick or stone stables are, 
therefore, more suitable both for winter and sum¬ 
mer. Such as are protected by boards will answer 
every purpose when made sufficiently tight for 
winter. 
For southern stables , so much care is not requir¬ 
ed ; but it is well, even there, to have the animals 
guarded against the severe storms, and chilling cur¬ 
rents of air which bring to the unprotected brute, 
colds, catarrhs, and a long train of insiduous and 
ofttimes fatal diseases. We have found in many of 
our southern states, that the arrangement for sta¬ 
bling consisted solely in providing a roof, under 
which, the wind passes unchecked. This is very 
well for much of the year, and may be tolerated, 
perhaps, in the extreme south ; but some protection 
against the reflection from the hot summer sun, 
which would be afforded by walls, as well as the 
exclusion of wind in winter, would aid materially 
to the comfort, and thereby promote the health of 
the animals. 
To Dissolve Bones. —A correspondent in the 
Gardeners’ Chronicle gives the following directions 
to dissolve bones in sulphuric acid :—Under cover, 
either in a manure barn or cart shed, I make a clay 
basin or trough, 20 feet by 10, with edges 20 inches 
wide and as high, into which, having previously 
thrown 100 bushels of half-inch bones, and hav¬ 
ing damped them, I pour from the carboys 1,700 
lbs. of acid ; the contents of each carboy being 
marked by the maker, I have not the trouble of 
weighing. As soon as the requisite quantity of 
acid is poured into the trough, two men with com¬ 
mon iron road scrapers or long iron rakes, com¬ 
mence stirring, continuing so to do until efferves¬ 
cence subsides, two hours completing the work. I 
leave the mass for ten days, when, by the addition 
of sufficient water, I bring the whole to the con¬ 
sistence of a thick gruel, cinder dust being then as 
usual. 
Prices of Special Manures in England.—W e 
subjoin a specimen of prices paid for a variety of 
manures manufactured and for sale in England. 
Corn and grass manure, per ton, £9 10s. 
Clover manure, “ 8 0 
Turnip manure, “ 7 0 
Superphosphate of lime, “ 7 0 
Sulphuric acid and coprolites, “ 5 0 
Reckoning the pound sterling at $5, it will be 
seen that John Bull pays pretty roundly for his 
manures. One fourth the above amount expended 
by American farmers in saving such as they already 
have, would give them a greater quantity iu qual¬ 
ity and value. _ 
Breaking Steers. —An effectual and speedy 
mode of breaking steers, is to use a yoke long 
enough to hold four bows at suitable distances. 
Put a strong, steady yoke of oxen on the outside 
and the steers inside, treat them gently and do not 
use the whip nor goad, and you will soon have the 
young ones as well broken as the old. 
Guano. —The most economical application of 
guano is directly under or upon the seed where the 
roots will be sure to find it. It should be covered with 
earth and slightly separated from the seed. Sow¬ 
ing broadcast, in damp weather, upon the growing 
grasses or grain, is a good mode of application, but 
it should first be intimately mixed with several times 
its bulk of garden mold or well-rotted peat, swamp 
muck, and some plaster. 
Cure for a Horse Pulling at the Halter. 
—Fold one ear under a small strong cord which 
fastens him. He will give one jerk but never a se¬ 
cond. —Boston Cultivator. 
