(', he Norseman. 
U IJ 
NOTES FOR HORSEMEN. 
Horse Wltli Tongue Out. 
Wiiat remedy is there for a horse that 
runs his tongue under the bit straight out 
one and a-half inches when traveling; when 
he trots?—Lucius McBride, Akron, 0. 
To Remove a Film 
from a horse’s eye blow, in moderate weath¬ 
er, a little calomel in his eye through a 
goose quill. Care should be taken to keep 
the horse from getting wet for three or four 
days after.—J. Klock, Tioga (Jo. , If, Y. 
A Horse with Dislemprr. 
1 have a horse which had what is known 
here as “ the colt distemper” very badly 
about twelve months ago, and his wind is 
affected so that when he is ridden or driven 
fast he breathes hard. A thin, white watery 
fluid sometimes runs from the nostrils after 
being used. Tie. was four years old last 
June. Can you or some of the many readers 
of the Rural. New-Yorker tell me what to 
do to cure him?—G. II. A., Llangollen, Va. 
Keim-ity lor Kiugbone. 
John C. Bowens writes the Rural 
New-Yorker that ho has a very fine four- 
year-old colt, which lias been troubled with 
ringbone for more than two years, lie asks 
for a remedy. W r c know of none. The 
lameness may, in some cases, he and often 
is removed by the application of an oint¬ 
ment made as follows:—Biniodide of mer¬ 
cury, one drachm; lard, two ounces; mixed 
well together, Shave off the hair and rub 
the part once a (lay for six or eight days; 
then wash the parts with proof spirits; re¬ 
peat, the application if the lameness does not 
disappear. For a young horse so affected, 
nothing is better than rest; if the limb is 
hot, apply cooling applications; if cold, 
some sort of stimulant. 
that runs from the Kansas Pacific Railroad 
to Santa Fe. He says he thinks it better 
than any other arrangement he knows of. 
All that is wanted is an extra check put on 
the main line four or five inches back of the 
first, check, and six or eight inches longer 
than the others, lie adds:—“You will no¬ 
tice by the course the first check takes that 
the second one does not require to he as 
much longer than the other as might be 
supposed, as it goes in a straight line to the 
bit of the outer horse. If one horse is faster 
than the rest, shorten his checks the same 
as you would for two horses. This plan 
allows the team to spread over stones or 
slumps by slackening a little on the lines. 
The lines pass through the hanie rings at 2.” 
A StiiKffci'lug Colt. 
F. II. Miles writes the Rural New- 
Yorker that he has a colt two years old 
which lie noticed a year ago for the first 
time staggered when turned from the stable— 
did not seem to have perfect control of his 
limbs. lie says:—■“ I [e continues about the 
same. 1 keep him in aground tloorstable; 
his head and eyes appear to he all right. 
At times he does not track liis hind limbs, 
carrying that part of his body often to one 
side. He is a large, well-built colt,eats well 
and is in good condition. It is not awkward 
deformity, but some kind of a disease. My 
yearling, running with him, though no rela¬ 
tion whatever, has, I think, slight symptoms 
of the same complaint. 1 shall be greatly 
obliged for any information you or your 
readers may give.” Wo cannot advise our 
correspondent. Can any of our readers ? 
Wind Sucking. 
Could you, or some reader of the Rural 
New-Yorker give me a remedy that will 
cure a horse from “ stump sucking,” as I 
believe they call it? I bought the animal 
about, four weeks ago, and I noticed since 
several times, that she takes hold of almost, 
anything she gets hold of and sucks the air. 
Several persons have told me that she will 
not be worth much if I can’t break her of 
it, because she will get tired too soon. The 
mare is only six years old, and sound in 
every other way, and if you or some reader 
of the Rural could give me some remedy 
that will cure her, I should he very much 
obliged to you.—J. ReNQEL, Erin Go.,If. Y. 
The only remedy we know of is to lie 
Ihe head of the animal—except when she is 
feeding, so as to prevent the change in posi¬ 
tion usual to wind sucking. It, is a bad 
vice, and depreciates the value of the ani¬ 
mal addicted to it. 
11 oi'so niili I'ulsy. 
J. G. A. writes of a five-year-old horse 
that was worked last August three-fourths 
of a day on a threshing power; was turned 
into the pasture as usual, well, and the next 
morning, when leading him to Ihe stable, he 
fell down several times, having, apparently, 
lost, the use of his legs. After two weeks he 
got. so much better that our correspondent 
began to use him, and hag used him siuec, 
although he is not well, and has not the use 
of his legs as before. Has been fed grakl t he 
year round, as he was worked on the farm 
nearly every day. Our correspondent asks: 
“ Js a horse liable to palsy?” This horse 
acts much as I have seen persons who had 
that disease.” Yes, horses have the palsy, 
and it is usually caused by overfeeding 
combined with hard driving; or from some 
injury to the spinal cord, by failing, over¬ 
drawing; or by indigestion. Whether this 
is the trouble with the horse in question, we 
cannot say. 
Witnit (fwonown. 
Scratches in Humes. 
Take pure, dry white lead, pure oxide of 
zinc, glycerine, of each half an ounce; fresh 
lard, (free from rancidity,) one and a-half 
ounces. Mix the white lead, oxide of zine 
and glycerine to a uniform, smooth paste, 
then add the lard, a little at a lime, till a 
uniform, smooth ointment is formed. Wash 
the parts with caslile soap and water, and 
ihy with a cloth, then apply the ointment 
two or three times daily with the fingers. 
Wash once in two or three days, and dry 
well before dressing again. 
The horse should stand on a plank floor 
kept clean and dry; and if used, all dust, 
sand and dirt should be washed off so that 
the affected parts may remain clean. If 
these directions are strictly carried out, it 
will seldom, if ever, fail to cure the worst 
cases within a reasonable time. 
It would be better to have the ointment 
prepared by an apothecary, and in warm 
weather substitute simple cerate for the lard. 
—Jardktta. 
Dines Tliret* Abreast. 
"• Q- A. Kine sends us the accompanying 
illustration of the arrangement of lines three 
horses abreast, which lie says is used by the 
Southern Overland Mail and Express Co., 
TO KILL BUSHES. 
What time of year can beach, birch, 
maple and willow hushes be cut so that they 
will not sprout from the stump or roots?— 
F. D. Perkins. 
We very much doubt if there is any cer¬ 
tainty of killing such bushes by once cut¬ 
ting, even if the best time is selected for do¬ 
ing this work. We have always found the 
latter part of summer—for instance in the 
month of August — a better time to kill 
bushes by cutting than earlier or later. If 
cut too early, the roots will sprout and 
some little portion of the young shoots ma¬ 
ture before winter, and if the culling is de¬ 
layed until Cool weather, it will not injure 
them in the least, and the next spring they 
will throw up suckers stronger than ever. 
It also depends very much upon the locality; 
at the North, bushes should be cut earlier in 
the season than South. The proper lime to 
do the most injury is just as the young 
shoots ot the present season commence tq 
ripen and terminal buds are fully formed. To 
cut off ft bush close to the ground at this 
time is such a severe shock that we have 
known willows and similar shrubs to he en¬ 
tirely killed by only one cutting, but at 
other times we have failed to accomplish our 
purpose, although the greatest care was ex¬ 
ercised in selecting the time and performance 
of the work. 
-♦♦♦-. 
GREASING WAGONS. 
We find the following in the Scientific 
Press:—“Greasing buggies and wagons is 
of more importance than some people ima¬ 
gine. Many a wheel is mined by oiling too 
plentifully. A well made wheel will endure 
constant wear for ten to twenty years if care 
is taken to use the right kind and proper 
amount of oil; but if this matter is not at- 
tended to, the wheel will boused up in five 
or six years, or may be sooner. Lard should 
never be used on a wagon ; for it will pene¬ 
trate the hub and work its way out around 
the tenons of the spokes and spoil the 
wheel. Castor oil is a good material for 
use on an iron axle; just oil enough should 
be applied to a spindle to give it a light 
coating; this is better than more, for the 
surplus put on will work out at Ihe ends and 
he forced by the shoulders and nut iuto the 
hub around outside of the boxes. To oil an 
axletree, first wipe the spindle clean with a 
cloth wet with turpentine, if it won’t wipe 
without it. On a buggy or carriage, wipe 
and clean off Lhc back and front ends of the 
hubs, and then apply a very small quantity 
of castor oil, for some especially prepared 
lubricator near the shoulders and point. 
--♦-*-»- 
DEEP vs. SHALLOW PLOWING. 
The statements of Mr. Petit, in the 
Rural Nf.w-Yorker for March 11, seem 
to apply to land where the subsoil is of no 
value, and to what we may call "made” 
land, where the soil, being of very poor 
quality, is covered, to the depth of several 
inches, with fertilizers, vegetable mold, 
marl, &c. 
It is quite reasonable to suppose that a 
few inches of this supplied surface will fur¬ 
nish all the food required by ordinary grain 
and vegetables—and it. is all I hey can get 
from such a mil. But the case is very dif¬ 
ferent. with the greater part of the cultivated 
land of this country, especially that of the 
Mississippi Valley, which is deep, rich and 
compact, and is seldom enriched by artificial 
means. In such land many valuable ele¬ 
ments are packed away in the subsoil, and 
must he brought to the surface, and be acted 
upon by light, air, heat and frost, else they 
cannot become food for vegetation. 
I should like to hear more, pro and con. 
West IIullocIc, III. Radical. 
the aperture, a little of the egg on the out¬ 
side serving as mucilage. This egg was laid 
near the skunk’s hole. R. S. T. thinks if we 
ask Mr. Skunk’s sexton where he sleeps we 
will find that he does sleep. 
Whisky for l)oirs. 
I would like to inquire of some reader of 
the Rural New-Yorker if they have ever 
tried giving a dog whisky to stop it from 
growing, and if it will do it? I have heard 
that it would,* but did not like to try it till I 
was sure of it.—,r. w. c. 
We have tried it, and seen il. tried, many 
times. The only effect produced was to 
make the dog grow faster and larger than lie 
would have grown without the whisky. 
snuui. 
SPORTSMAN'S NOTES. 
About Texas Simlir*, Remedies lor 
Hit on, Hie. 
There are many rattle snakes here, some¬ 
times six feet long or more, and as large as 
a Stout man’s arm. I have seen many per¬ 
sons who have been bitten by them, '[’he 
first, remedy used hero is whisky, drunk 
until intoxication is produced, which is con¬ 
sidered the best remedy. 1 have been in¬ 
formed that calomel applied to the wound, 
previously scarified, is a sure cure eveu in 
the last stages of life. A friend of mine 
suffered from the effect of the bite of a rat¬ 
tle snake for many months, and was finally 
cured by drinking ry> infusion of the fox 
glove {Digitalis,) which grows wild here. 
Homo persona here have been known to eat 
them, and pronounced their flesh to he very 
good, care being taken to shoot them in the 
head, or to kill them immediately, so that 
they could not bite themselves. Some one 
says that there is a snake which, when dis¬ 
turbed, falls to pieces, and afterwards comes 
together again—but for the truth of this 
snake story I cannot vouch. This snake is 
called the joint snake.— “Viator,” j Dripping 
Sprint], Team. 
To Clean a Shot Gun. 
As most people have not tow, use a small 
corn cob; an inch and a-half wood-screw, 
(quite heavy,) with a ferule attached to it, is 
wanted on a stout rod, dry with any old 
rag; any tinman can fix the screw.—c. A. u. 
1e the gun is rusty by long disuse, the best 
thing to remove the rust is kerosene oil; 
cork the hole in the tube, and Jet the gun 
stand two or three days full of oil; then 
wash the gun with iiot water, dry, and oil it 
a little with sweet oil. To dean a dirty gun 
that is in use, I would till it with vinegar, 
wash it thoroughly with the same, and it. 
will remove all burnt powder that lias col¬ 
lected in the barrel, Rinse it with hot water 
(hotter the better) and wipe dry and oil.— 
Fred. Fayson. 
Advice About i« Pup. 
Tell your correspondent who has the 
pup, half hull and half shepherd, the best 
thing he can do with him will be to shoot 
him and got a full blood shepherd; and if lie 
lias much use for a dog and is a novice in the 
business, buy and pay from $20 to $50 for a 
trained dog.— VYsr. Inglehukuit, Brook Co ,, 
West Virginia, 1871. 
To Trap Foxes. 
To catch the fox you want steel traps. 
First plow a furrow; take all of the sods out 
of it. Set your traps about five rods apart, 
and cover them up; then smooth the dirt 
down with a bush, and bait the traps with 
crumbs of cheese. You cau sometimes catch 
the fox when he crawls through a fence. 
A. L. II. 
Bliorrenlug it Sliot Hun. 
“ Prairie Boy” writes:—“ 1 have a shot 
gun forty-live inches long, if it was cut off 
ten inches would it shoot as well as it does 
now ?” Wc do not. think it would ; but you 
hud better ask an experienced gun maker. 
-- 
Inquiries for ftportsraen.-S. L. Willard asks 
Home one to tell him how to trap muskrats ami 
train a spaniel.—" Prahio Boy" asks how ho 
shall tan squirrel skins.— Lucies I*. Drake asks 
if any ol' our readers have used Remington's 
six-shot rovolvlng'-breeeti rifle ; if so, what of its 
sorvicoableness? 
ierbsman. 
Other Fisli In Trout IlrookN. 
Wilkes’ Spirit says the Game Laws of 
New York forbid the placing of perch, pick¬ 
erel, sunfisb, eels and bullheads in trout ponds 
or streams, because they eat the spawn and 
young of trout, and soon annihilate every 
trout in the pond. Owners of trout ponds 
on Long Island are in the habit of drawing 
the ponds off and sowing the bottom with 
lime to get rid of perch,.sunfisb, eels, and the 
like; and when a poacher wants to have re¬ 
venge on an owner of a trout pond or creek, 
he places those scaly carnivora in liis trout 
waters. 
How they Destroy Squirrels in California. 
Mr. Rogers of Los Gatos, informs the 
San Jose Weekly Mercury that the farmers 
in that vicinity have met with great success 
in destroying squirrels, as follows Take 
dry oak halls, which may be found in abun¬ 
dance almost anywhere in this country ; dip 
them in kerosene, ignite and drop into the 
holes of the squirrels. To make the work 
sure, the mouth of the hole should be closed 
up with earth. They are said to be sure lire 
every time.” 
Ono Way of Destroying SUiiijUn. 
R. S. T., Aubry, Kansas, had a pet skunk 
that sucked his pet eggs, and, in a pet, he 
drilled a small hole into one end of an egg, 
deposited therein enough strychnine to make 
it a dead shot, pasting a bit ol paper over 
LICE ON CALVES. 
The question has been frequently asked, 
What will destroy lice ? and several things 
have been recommended, all of slow and 
doubtful utility; and finally, we have tin 
lubes and fumigation brought to boar upon 
them. This seems to he as simple and sen¬ 
sible as a plan given by a writer a year or 
two ago, for building a pen to break refrac¬ 
tory heifers in, which involved somewhat 
less timber than would build an ordinary 
saw mill, and was, withal, as handy as a 
pocket in one’s shirt. 
L have raised a good many cows, but never 
owned one that I would have given any one 
a dime to break ; indeed, 1 never knew when 
they were not broke; and I would respect¬ 
fully suggest to the writer of that article 
aud all who are similarly situated, that it is 
not enough that wc do not abuse our do¬ 
mestic animals, in order that they may feel 
perfectly at their case; it is necessary to use 
kind words and kind actions, and remember 
two things:—That horned cattle (and wc 
may also include hogs) like to he petted, hut 
never putted; stroke your hands over them 
as much as you please, but reserve your pat¬ 
ting for the horses. Let your cow kind be 
familiar with your company and touch, and 
you won’t have much trouble with them 
when they come in. 
Last year, in a homily on raising turkeys, 
breeders wore advised to dip the little things 
in a solution of tobacco. This would he 
cruel and unnecessary, and might endanger 
their lives. I have raised turkeys at various 
times for over fitly years, and never saw one 
that was lousy if it ran at largo with its 
mother; if raised under a common hen, they 
are quite apt to be so affected; but they are 
never found except on their heads, and occa¬ 
sionally under their jaws. Mercurial oint¬ 
ment is my remedy for the destruction of 
lice wherever located, and 1 have never 
found the use of it, injurious to any beast or 
bird. And it is the most effectual and sure 
cure for scab on sheep. Touch your turkeys 
and chickens on the head with the ointment, 
and the vermin will he instantly killed; 
rub some on the cheeks and under the jaws 
of your calves, and from the back of the 
head along the spinal column to the shoul¬ 
der, and that will probably he a sufficient 
dressing, unless they arc very lousy indeed ; 
in that case, use it more liberally; choose a 
warm, sunny day, when your ointment will 
he soft, and you may soon relive your cattle 
of their unwelcome company ; and as it is 
largely composed of hog’s lard, it will soften 
aud relieve the akin. o. 
■-♦♦♦ ... . 
To Prevent n Cow Kicking, buckle a strap 
tiglit around iho cow back of tlio hips and in 
front of tlio udder, and she cannot kick.—c.e.w. 
«♦«- 
Inquiries for Herdsmen. — C. W. Van Vi.eck 
asks some one to tell him the cause of and a 
remedy for a wen. 
liiarn of a I’umiltst. 
DAILY RURAL LIFE. 
From the Diary of a Gentleman near New 
York City. 
March 21.—Tlio first snake of the season 
appeared to-day, which l believe to be a 
pretty good sign that spring is at hand, as 
these reptiles seldom move until they begin 
to feel a little solar heat. The species ap¬ 
pearing was our very common Ilog-nose, or 
Blowing Viper (Tfeterodon platyi'hinos of 
Gatheili.e.) This snake, when alarmed, 
spreads out its bead and neck quite flat, and 
at the same time emits a hissing sound; 
therefore, this species does hiss, although 
thoro are persons who have made some 
grave assertions to the contrary. Another 
very common error in regard to this snake 
is that it is venomous, while those who have 
studied its habits know it to be exceedingly 
inoffensive. My sympathy is strongly in 
lavor of these beautiful and harmless crea¬ 
tures; for how they are pelted, stoned and 
crushed, all the result of a misdirected edu¬ 
cation or fanatical superstition. Many a 
cruel man has grown out of a heartless, 
heedless hoy, who has been taught to hate 
and kill snakes. 
Man 'h 22,—Uncovered strawberry plants 
that had been protected by a thin layer of 
coarse hay. The leaves were bright and 
green, and new leaves starting from the 
crowns, while those that have not. been cov¬ 
ered are brown and dry, showing little signs 
of life. It is claimed by some strawberry 
growers that by covering the plants in au¬ 
tumn, and leaving the covering on as long 
as it can be with safety in spring, tin: season 
of ripening is considerably retarded ; but in 
my own experience l have not found this 
true, for tlio protected plants usually start 
with more vigor, and not being injured by 
the cold of winter, the flower stems come 
forward with greater rapidity. J fear that 
very many who even believe themselves 
good gardeners, are very careless and lax in 
their observations. Many think that the 
h ost is driven from the earth in spring main¬ 
ly by solar heat that descends from the sur¬ 
face, when, in fact, the greater pail of frozen 
soil is thawed by caloric that rises from he 
low. Cold descends rapidly and heat rises; 
therefore, it is no uncommon phenomenon to 
find that earth frozen to the depth of two 
feet, will thaw out three times as rapidly 
from below upward us from the surface 
downward, and strawberry plants that are 
protected by a slight covering, are often in 
a much warmer position than if left unpro¬ 
tected. 
March 28.—Transplanted several large 
evergreens, although it is not exactly ortho¬ 
dox to move these trees until later in tlio 
season. Five years ago L transplanted one 
hundred large Norway spruce and Austrian 
pine us early in spring as the frost would 
permit, and not one died, and they are now 
handsome specimens. This and many other 
experiments of a similar kind convinced me 
that early transplanting of evergreens was 
just as important as with deciduous trees, 
and thousands of them am lost annually 
through a mistaken notion that they should 
ho removed late in the season, Evergreen 
trees can he transplanted with considerable 
safety later than deciduous, but this is a poor 
excuse for doing it. There is a great scarcity 
of evergreens in the grounds around our 
suburban homes, and it is uo wonder that 
the birds leave, as well as many of the peo¬ 
ple, at Ihe approach of winter. A neighbor 
says that, the reason he does not plant ever¬ 
green trees about his grounds is that it made 
them look like a cemetery; hut he usually 
wears a clean dickey that looks like a 
shroud. 
March 24.—Wind, cold and raw. Grape 
vines that were pruned late and had hied 
some are effectually checked by Ihe cold, 
drying winds. One frosty night will effect¬ 
ually check bleeding. The earliest flowering 
shrub I have—the Daphne Mezeron —is in 
full bloom. This shrub is seldom seen, either 
in city or country gardens; but both the 
white and red varieties are deserving a place 
whrchver early flowers are appreciated. 
March 25. — Trimmed Rose of Sharon 
{Hibiscus Syriacus) hedge, and saved and 
planted a few cuttings of the best sorts. This 
shrub is one ol the latest to put forth leaves; 
but ft lias the redeeming merit of being the 
latest to bloom, and when other shrubs are 
pulling oil their autumn tints of " sere and 
yellow leaf',” the Rose of Sharon puts forth 
its gayest flowers. As the flowers are al¬ 
ways produced on the young shoots of the 
current season, it is quite important that 
they should not only be vigorous but abund¬ 
ant, and severe pruning in early spring is 
one of the most ready and cheap methods of 
insuring so desirable a result. 
March 2(5. — A cold wind, accompanied 
with rain, makes closed doors, a quiet house 
and plenty of good books comforts that I 
would that all mankind could have and en¬ 
joy on Sundays, if at uo other time. 
