134 
THE CULTIVATOR 
SDe^jarttn^nt. 
The figures above show the appearance of the teeth 
of the horse, each year, from the time of the appearance 
of his foal teeth, marked (a,) to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 
10, 12 and 18 years. 
AGE OF ANIMALS. 
As the value of most domestic animals is in a great 
measure depending on their age, considerable attention 
has been given to the best and most certain modes of 
determining this point. The modes adopted for the 
several domesticated ones are difierent, but up to certain 
periods are such as to determine the age with great ac¬ 
curacy; after which, there are no positive indications, 
except such as are more or less general, and therefore 
vague. Mr. Blaine, in his Encyclopedia of Rural 
Sports, and Mr. Youatt, in his several works on British 
animals, are authorities which are considered as the 
standard ones on matters relating to animals. 
The age of sheep is known by their having, in their 
second year, two broad teeth; in their third year, four 
broad teeth; in their fourth year, six broad teeth; and 
in their fifth year, eight broad teeth before. After this, 
while the teeth remain in the head, they afford little 
certain indication of the animal’s age. At the end of 
one year, young sheep lose the two fore teeth of the 
lower jaw; at eighteen months, the two teeth joining 
to the former fall out; and at three years, being all re¬ 
placed, they are even and white. The ages of all 
horned sheep may be known by their horns, which 
show a ring annually to the end of their lives. 
The ages of cattle can be determined by the teeth and 
horns. At the end of two years, they shed their first 
fore teeth. These are replaced by others larger, but 
not so white. Before they are five years old, all the 
incisive teeth are thus shed and renewed. As the ani¬ 
mal grows older, the teeth wear down, become une¬ 
qual atid black. Horns are shed at the end of three 
years, and they are replaced by other horns, which, 
like the second teeth, always remain. The first year 
of the new horn, that is, the fourth of the animal’s age, 
a kind of button or ring forms around the base, or 
near the head. The following year, this button or ring 
moves from the head, being lengthened by a fresh 
course of horn between that and the head, and this is 
also terminated by a button or ring; and in this manner 
the horns continue to advance or grow as long as the 
animal lives. Thus the age is easily determined by 
these rings, counting three for the first, and one for 
each successive one. Deception is sometimes practiced 
by filing, scraping, and oiling the horn, so as to era¬ 
dicate the rings or inilications of age. 
There is more difficulty in determining the age of the 
horse than either the sheep or the ox, though up to a 
certain age, the mouth of the horse, or his teeth, may 
be relied upon with much certainty. The changes which 
take place in the teeth, and the time of their appear¬ 
ance, fix his age until he is eight years old, after 
which, little can be known by them; hence jockeys or 
horse dealers I’arely have horses over eight years of 
age. The first teeth which appear are the/oaZ teeth, as 
they are called. These begin to show themselves a few 
days or weeks after foaling, and at the end of two 
months, the two center teeth, or nippers, will have 
reached their natural level, as shown in the cut, fig. a. 
The teeth continue to successively appear, until forty 
nake their appearance, and become permanent. Of 
these, twenty-four are double teeth, or grinders, four 
tushes, and twelve front teeth, or nippers. Between the 
second and third month, the second pair of nippers or 
incissors will have overtaken the first: and between the 
sixth and ninth month, another pair wull show them¬ 
selves, thus completing the coif’s mouth, or making six 
above and six below. These teeth, in all their stages, 
are covered with an exceeding hai'd substance, called 
enamel. This substance covers the outside of the tooth, 
above the gum, and, as designed to prevent the tooth 
from wear, it rises on every side, and seems to fold 
over and fall towards the center. As the enamel does 
not meet, a cavity is left, which, owing to food, is 
kept black or discolored, and it is from the appearance 
of this mark, and the wearing down of the enamel, 
that the age is principally determined. “ At the age of 
one and a half years, the mark in the central nippers 
will be much shorter and fainter; that in the two other 
pairs will have undergone an evident change, and the 
nippers will be flat.”—(Youatt on the Age of the 
Horse.) 
When the colt is about two and a half years old, the 
four central nippers (two above and two below,) are 
shed, although in some few cases these teeth remain till 
the colt is near three years old. These new teeth are 
readily distinguished from the first or foal teeth, by be¬ 
ing much stronger, and twice their size. “ When 
horses have got these four teeth complete, they are 
reckoned to be three years old.”—(Blaine.) When they 
are about three and a half, or in the spring before they 
are four years old, the horse loses four more of his foal 
teeth, one on each side of those first cast; so that if you 
see in a horse’s mouth the two middle teeth full grown, 
and none of the foal teeth except the common teeth re¬ 
maining, you may conclude that he is four that year in 
April or May. “ At three years old, the horse ought to 
have the central prominent nippers growing—the other 
two pairs wasting—six grinders in each jaw, above and 
below—the first and fifth molars level with the others, 
and the sixth protruding.”—(Youatt.) 
The tushes, of which the horse has four, two in each 
jaw, above and below, appear about the same time with 
the last mentioned teeth, or when the horse is about four 
years old, and dealers who are anxious to have the horse 
appear older than he actually is, endeavor to facilitate 
their growth by deep incisions in the gums, so as to re¬ 
move all obstructions. One of the surest marks to know 
a four year old horse is by his tushes, which are then 
small, and sharp on the top and edges. 
At the age of four and a half years, or rather in the 
spring before he is five, the last distinctly marked 
change takes place in the mouth of the hoi’se. The 
corner teeth, or last pair of nippers, are now the most 
to be noticed. The central nippers come to their 
growth quickly, or in less than three weeks; but these 
grow more slowly, and are seldom much above the 
gums till the horse is full five. They differ also from 
the other teeth, in somewhat resembling a shell, and 
hence some call them shell teeth, and because they en¬ 
circle the flesh in the middle, half way round; but as 
they grow, the flesh disappears, and a distinct hollow or 
open place appears on the inside of the tooth. “Where 
a horse is full five, these teeth are about the thickness 
of a crown piece above the gum; from five to five and 
a half they will grow about a quarter of an inch high, 
or more; and when a horse is full six, they will be near 
half an inch, and in some large horses a full half inch 
above the gums.”—(Blaine.) At the age of six years, 
or perhaps a few months before, the horse may be said 
to have a 'perfect mouth; all the teeth are produced, fully 
grown, and have as yet received no material injury or 
change from use. 
When the horse has reached the age of seven years, 
the central mark, or hollow in the teeth, has been worn 
away from the four central nippers, and is fast wearing 
away in the corner teeth, while the tushes are changed 
by growing round at tbe point, and rounded at the 
edges. At eight years old, the mark is said to be out of 
the mouth, as in most cases it is worn from all the bot¬ 
tom nippers; and from this time, says Mr. Youatt, 
“there is nothing that can clearly show the age of the 
horse, or justify the most experienced examiner in 
giving a positive opinion.” Dishonest dealers some¬ 
times endeavor to make the horse appear older than he 
is, by pulling out the foal teeth before their time; but 
this may be detecied by an examination of the tushes, 
for if the corner or last set of the nippers come in some 
months before the tushes rise in the gums, it may be 
reasonably suspected that the foal teeth have been pulled 
at three years old. So when a horse is past eight years, 
and the marks are worn out, such dealers have a prac¬ 
tice of cutting out, with a graving tool, the central por¬ 
tion of the tooth, which hole is afterwards burned wiffi 
a hot iron, and thus permanently discolored. By such 
rascalities, many have been imposed upon, and the name 
of horse dealer brought into contempt. 
After a horse has passed his eighth year, little can be 
known by his mouth, though experienced observers 
may find indications to assist them in arriving at the 
truth. There are gradual changes taking place in the 
appearance of the teeth, and in the exterior of the ani¬ 
mal, that mark the advances of age. Blaine says;— 
“ When a horse comes to be very old, it may be disco¬ 
vered by several indications, the constant attendants of 
age; such as his gums wearing away insensibly, leaving 
the teeth long and naked at tbe roots; the teeth growing 
yellow, or rather brownish at the same time. In an old 
horse, the bars of the mouth,which in a young horse are 
fleshy and form distinct ridges, are lean, dry, and have 
little or no rising. The eye-pits in a young horse are 
generally filled up with flesh, look plump and smooth; 
in an old horse, they are sunk and hollow, and make 
him look ghastly. There are also other marks which 
discover a horse to be old, as grey horses turning white, 
and many of them being all over flea-bitten except their 
joints. These changes, however, come sooner or later, 
according to constitution, color, &c. Black horses are 
apt to grow grey over their eye-brows, and very often 
over a large part of their faces. Old horses always sink 
more or less in their backs, and some that are naturally 
long backed grow so hollow with age as to be unfit for 
the saddle.” 
Farmers and others who purchase a horse for wmrk, 
we think make mistakes frequently as to the most profit¬ 
able age, when severe or continued service is required. 
Many who wished to purchase, would choose one of 
four years old; but we are convinced that a horse that 
is sound and has been well treated, will do more work 
between six and twelve than in any other six years of 
his life. At that age, he is in his prime for vigor and 
strength; his muscles have acquired firmness and matu¬ 
rity; and his bones being compact and solid, are not li¬ 
able to become displaced or deformed from exertion—a 
result very common, when put to hard work at an ear¬ 
lier age. 
GAPES IN CPIICKENS. 
Messes. Gayloed & Tucicee —Can you furnish me 
through the medium of the Cultivator, with a cure for 
the gapes in chickens. I have tried soap, assafeetida, spi¬ 
rits of turpentine, &c. but without success. Three-fourths 
of my chickens are dying with this disease. It appears 
to be produced by small worms in the throat. 
Whalen’s Store, June 30, 1843. Seth Whalen. 
As a preventive is said to be better than a cure, we 
will first give one pronounced by Maj. Chandler, in the 
Tennessee Agriculturist, to be infallible. The simple 
nature of the prescription should not prevent a trial. 
“ Keep iron standing in vinegar, and put a little of the 
liquid in the food every few days. Chickens so fed are 
secure from the gapes.” 
For a cure, freeing the throat from the worms spoken 
of by Mr. W. wdll be effectual. This is easily done by 
a feather, say one from a hen’s wing. This is to be 
stripped of the feather, with the exception of about an 
inch at the end, which is to be turned back from the 
point, which should be rolled a little. The chicken is 
to be caught and firmly held with his neck straight and 
bill open, b}^ another person. Wet the end of the feath¬ 
er, and introduce it into the windpipe, the opening of 
of which will be seen when the animal breathes. Push 
it down slowlj^ some two or three inches, and then draw 
it out, turning the feather as you do so. Usually (he 
worms will adhere to (he feather, or be loosened so that 
the chicken will sneeze them up. A second operation 
ma)^ sometimes be necessary, rarely more, to make the 
cure perfect. The feather should be wet before it is put 
down the throat, and perhaps spirits of turpentine might 
do well for this purpose, and might aid in (he destruction 
of the worms. The turning of the feather, however, ap¬ 
pears to be the main thing. Boswell, in his Poultry 
Yard, recommends a pepper corn in dough occasionally, 
washing the head and throat in camphorated spirit or 
brandy and water, and giving sulphur in their drink. We 
should, however, have more confidence in the feather 
than any thing else, and think when skillfully used it 
will rarely fail to cure. 
LAMENESS IN THE HORSE. 
Messes. Editoes—I havm a young filly that I raised, 
that has been lame for some time, and her right hip has 
perished as does the shoulder in the disease called swa- 
ney or swiney. I should be glad to learn from you a 
remedy; or whether the swiney is ever known in the 
hip. Jacob Millee. 
Caneyville, Ky., 1843. 
We have never seen a ease similar to the one de¬ 
scribed by our correspondent, and the veterinary works 
are silent on the subject; consequendy are unable to 
give the information he solicits. If any of our friends 
are acquainted with the complaint and its cure, they 
will oblige us by communicating such knowledge for 
publication. 
To Wash Woolen Goods _The art of washing wool¬ 
en goods so as to jjrevent them from shrinking, is one 
of the desidei-ata in domestic economy worthy of being 
recorded, and it is therefore with satisfaction that we ex¬ 
plain this simple process (o our readers. All descrip¬ 
tions of woolen goods should be W'ashed in very hot wa¬ 
ter with soap, and as soon as the article is cleansed, im¬ 
merse it in cold water; let it then be wrung and hung up 
to dry.— Ex. paper. 
Maeicing Ink.— Take six and a quarter cents worth 
of Lunar caustic, and having put it into an ounce vial 
full of vinegar, cork it tight and hang it in the sun. In 
a couple of days it will be fit for use. 
To make the preparation for the above, take a lump 
of pearlash of the size of a chestnut and dissolve it in a 
gill of rain water. . . , , 
The part of the muslin to be written upon, is to be wet 
with the preparation, and dried and glazed with a warm 
flat iron; immediately after which, it is ready for mark 
i(jg._ Louisville .Journal, 
