22 
STRING HALT—IS THZLE ANT REMEDY 1 
good stout Virginia Yankeised oxen could pull 
it. I would have employed a larger plow than 
that, but did not like to risk it at first, and 
besides, I could not afford a heavier team. All 
who saw my first attempt, even the negroes, 
were sure I was crazy. The result proved I 
was not quite so. I cradled the best crop of 
wheat in ail that section of country, and had my 
land covered with as luxuriant a crop of clover 
the next season as I could wish. Upon this, I 
sowed a bushel of plaster to the acre, the effect 
of which, if possible, was still more astonishing 
to those who came to look, than was the fact 
that fifteen bushels of wheat to the acre had 
grown upon that old broom-straw field. 
I have since continued steadily every year to 
add a new field to my cultivation, and by means 
of lime, ashes, plaster, clover, and manure that 
my increased crops have enabled me to make, 
I have rendered a barren waste a fertile spot; 
supporting herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, 
and affording sustenance and happiness for 
many human beings. My great engine of im¬ 
provement has been the plow—such a one 
as never was used upon this land before, with 
which I have turned up the red clay, and in 
some cases used the subsoil plow, so as to get a 
mellow tilth from ten to fifteen inches deep. 
Since I first settled here, there have been large 
accessions to our then small society of northern 
farmers, and some of the farms, so far as re¬ 
gards the appearance of buildings, particularly 
barns, and clover fields, with cattle and sheep, 
grazing, have all the appearance of New Eng¬ 
land or New York. The change is very great. 
Sheep are driven here in considerable numbers 
from New York; and cattle from the valley of 
Virginia and Kentucky and fatten upon our 
rich clover fields. If some of the breeders of 
Durhams and Devons, at the north, would send 
us a few of their cattle to mix with ours, it 
might add much to mprovement in stock. 
Why should we look to Kentucky for our cat¬ 
tle, when it is well known that we can breed as 
good ones in Virginia, by the aid of such as I 
saw exhibited at your late fair, as can be bred 
anywhere in the United States? We now have 
as good pastures as could be desired and very 
little winter. The market of Washington City 
is not only good for beef, mutton, butter, and 
flour, but everything that can be grown for the 
sustenance of man or beast. We now have 
schools and churches convenient, and there is a 
vast improvement in roads going on every 
year, and the day is not far distant when this 
region of poor, old, worn-out, despised Virginia j 
plantations, will be looked upon as one of the I 
most flourishing agricultural regions in the 
country. 
I shall perhaps write you again upon this in¬ 
teresting subject of improving old, worn-out 
lands, of which all the southern states have an 
abundance. As I am not ambitious of notorie- 
ry, please to leave my name blank. 
Nov. 9 Ih, 1850. 
--—-- 
STRING HALT—IS THERE ANY REMEDY ? 
Notwithstanding all that has been said and 
written on this subject, we have never met with 
a remedy; and we doubt very much whether it 
is in the power of veterinary practice to cure 
it. The only thing, then, is to treat the horse 
thus afflicted kindly, and have patience with 
him when he first starts; for, after travelling a 
little distance and getting warm, the nerves 
seem to be relaxed, and ordinarily he does not 
then mind it. 
So far as our experience goes, we have fountf 
string halt seemingly unaccompanied with pain 
and it is not therefore to be so much regarded 
as some other diseases. Nor where it exists i/ 
a moderate degree, do we think it affects eithei 
the strength or speed of the horse. A little care 
only is necessary that he does not get cold in 
his limbs, as this aggravates the disease. We 
have also found that it wns ies* apparent In 
warm weather, particularly when + he horse was 
running in pasture. 
It is often asked what is the cause of string 
halt ? Professor Spooner seems to be of opin 
ion that it is a morbid affection of the sciatic- 
(hip) nerve; for he asserts that he had never 
dissected a single case in which he had not 
found disease of this nerve, which mainly con¬ 
tributes to supply the hind extremities with sen¬ 
sation, and the power of voluntary motion. 
Others think that string halt comes in conse¬ 
quence of the muscles of the thigh being inju¬ 
riously affected; but we have never heard of a 
case of dissection in which it was shown that 
string halt had produced any change in the 
muscles; we are therefore inclined to agree 
with Professor Spooner, that it arises from some 
injury to the hip nerves. Owners of horses af¬ 
fected with string halt, who would consult their 
own interest and avoid tormenting the poor 
animals, will refuse all the quack nostrums offer¬ 
ed to alleviate this hitherto incurable disease. 
Cheap Blacking tor Harnesses.— Melt two 
ounces of mutton suit with six ounces of bees’ wax; 
add six ounces of sugar candy, two ounces of soft 
soaps, and one ounce of powdered indigo; melt 
! ind mix well, and add a gill of turpentine. Lay 
i ■!; on with a sponge, and polish with a brush. 
