marks upon, the anatomical structure of the 
bones and joints. 
Bones are formed of a cellular and fibrous 
mineral structure filled in and strengthened 
with gelatine. The mineral matter consists 
chiefly of phosphate of lime with some little 
carbonate of lime and other mineral salts, in 
all to the extent of about 55 per cent, in dry 
bone; the gelatinous and fatty matters amount 
to about 45 per cent. During life the bone of 
an animal contains about 25 per cent, of 
water. Bones are perforated by numerous 
canals through which blood vessels and nerves 
penetrate in every direction. They are fur¬ 
nished at their ends where they come in con¬ 
tact with other bones, as at the joints, with a 
hard, tough, fibrous matter known as cartil¬ 
age which is more abundant in young animals 
than in old ones, and they are covered all over 
with n delicate and most sensitive fibrous and 
vascular tissue known aa the periosteum or 
covering membrane of the bone. Joints are 
formed by articulations of the bones, con¬ 
trived so that one bone may move upon 
another, as in a hinge; some Joints have a 
motion in but one direction, as a knuckle joint, 
a true hinge: and some have a more or Jess 
rotary motion as the hip Joint, the commonly 
called whirl-bone. The joints are provided 
with a slippery serum known as the synovial 
fluid which serves to lubricate them and ease 
J their motions and to pre¬ 
vent frictiou of the tender, • 
sensitive membranes which 
cover them. The sinews and 
tendons which connect the 
joints with the muscles by / 
which they are set in motion ' i’ 
are also provided with the .jj J9JJ5*^/1 
same synovial fluid and a i 
covering membrane similar A 
to the periosteum. When a 
limb is moved, the joint is 
bent by a drawing of the 
tendon attached to it, and the 
tendon is drawn by the con¬ 
traction of the muscle of 
which it is the prolongation. 
The tendons act directly or 
over pulleys, which may be 
bones or bands of other iHAT ^ ITY ( - R 
tendons. In short, the whole structure of 
the muscular system is a most complicated 
system of springs, bands, pulleys and cords, 
by which the levers and hinges of the bones 
are brought into action. The voluntary 
nerves, all of which proceed from the brain 
or are connected with It, are the intelligent 
agents of the will of the animal to put into 
action, the mechanism of the muscles aud 
bones. 
Now, if the food of the animal does not 
supply an adequate quantity of mineral mat¬ 
ter required by the bones, they become soft 
and porous; there is an excess of vascular 
structure, which causes enlargement and this 
excess of matter produces disease and decay 
of the structure as we find iu the diseases 
known as big-head and rickets; or the bones 
become weak and malformed or bent in an 
irregular shape. When the sensitive mem¬ 
brane is bruised, it becomes inflamed and may 
suppurate and the inflammation may attack 
the bone as in poll evil, fistula of the withers 
aud abscesses on the jaws or the face; or it 
may produce an excessive growth of cartilage 
or bone as in spavins, ring-bone, and splints; 
or when the tendons are involved with the 
joints, an excess of Bynovial fluid may be 
secreted and bog-spavins, thorough-pin, or 
curb, may be produced. When by a Budden 
force a muscle or tendon is stretched or 
strained beyond Its natural extension, it is 
sprained, and perhaps some of the fillers may 
be ruptured, when Inflammation occurs, as in 
hip joint or shoulder lameness. When by 
reason of the consequent pain the muscle Is 
not used—as well os the wasting by the in¬ 
flammation—-the muscle shrinks, and atrophy 
or loss of substance, the so-called sweeny, oc¬ 
curs. So too in stifle Joint lameness the loose 
bone, the knee-cap (see page 572) or patella, be¬ 
comes 60 loosely held by the muscles that it 
slips out of place, or it may be drawa out of 
place, and the leg rendered wholly useless for 
the time being. Lastly the construction of 
the hip may be pointed out with its peculiar 
combination of bones, so easily disturbed by 
dislocation or by fracture by a sudden fall or 
Blip, aa is far too common, not only with 
horses, but more so with cows driven reck¬ 
lessly upon slippery floors or icy ground. But 
without going further iuto it, this interesting 
subject is submitted, iu the hope that it may 
lead our readers to give it the attention it de¬ 
serves, and to study it out more completely 
for themselves. 
a trip to the fair. I remember last year in 
“Every-day House” how the children were 
all busy preparing for it, each having some¬ 
thing to show at the City Exhibition, and a 
prize is of so much value in eyes that are un¬ 
used to the lottery of life. The thought and 
care necessary in the preparation of any 
article for exhibition brighten the eyes and 
fill the soul with pleasant anticipations. To 
strive to excel is good discipline for young or 
old, and we are glad of even this break in the 
routine of living. Let father or husband not 
forget that those who look after his comfort 
and make him a home worthy of the name, 
need recreation and amusement to lighten the 
cares of housekeeping and rest the tired hands- 
To do this there is nothing better than the 
county show with its variety and its neigh¬ 
borly kindness and interest. 
Domestic Canuntu) 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
THE RELATIVE MERITS OP THE LIGHT 
BRAHMA AND PLYMOUTH ROCK 
FOWLS. 
HOUSEHOLD NOTES 
I find a difficulty in comparing these two 
popular breeds, arising out of the different 
conditions in which they may be placed. 
While breeding for pleasure or fancy, if lo¬ 
cated in city or village where they have lim¬ 
ited space and are compelled to make the 
most of every inch of spare ground under 
their control, I am of the opinion there can not 
be found a breed of fowls superior to the 
Light Brahmas. They are beauties upon a 
grassy lawn and are content with a small 
place to roam in. Any ordinary garden 
fence will keep them in control and prevent 
them from trespassing upon the premises of 
other®. They are good layers in the Winter 
season, and lay very large eggs. They are very 
hardy, and tne severest weather does not af¬ 
fect them if proparly sheltered. Their combs 
are small and never frozen. They are excel¬ 
lent for the table as broilers or adults, and, in 
fact, they are the very birds needed for close 
confinement. 
For persona having sufficient run-ways, 
and who can at certain seasons give them 
their liberty, I am of the opinion that Ply¬ 
mouth Rocks are more desirable for all pur¬ 
poses. They al.no are large, hardy, and great 
foragers; can be kept at a trifling expense 
while at liberty, preferring what they gather 
themselves to doled-out food. For hatching 
and rearing chicks there are few to excel 
them. After batching they often recom¬ 
mence laying eggs before the brood is of suf- 
tloientsize to be left alone iu cold weather, 
needing confinement to keep the chicks warm 
at night. They do not break the eggs placed 
under them, or trample upon the young 
chicks, as do the Asiatics. For table use, 
there are none more delicate to the taste; as 
dgg-producers I find them among the best. 
As Winter layers I also find them among the 
best, where ordinary care and comfortable 
quarters are provided. 
To farmers and those who have a few acres 
or land around a Summer residence in the 
country, I would advise that the Plymouth 
Rock fowl be procured above any other 
breed. C. S. Cooper. 
Bchraalenburgh, N. J. 
Nervous Children; Piazza Closets; Cin. 
cinnatl Ironing Board; Salted Corn; 
Tomatoes for Winter Use. 
MARY WAGER FISHER. 
I OFTEN hear mothers apologize for the 
irritability and fretfulness of their cbildrea 
on the ground of “nervousness”—“My child¬ 
ren are so nervous, etc.” T > my mind, which 
is full of old-fashioned notions, nervousness 
in a child is nearly always due to improper 
food and lack of sufficient sleep. The most 
nervous children X ever had as guests in my 
house have invariably improved upon their 
plain, early suppers of bread and milk, a 
strict obedience to the order “no running 
and racing after supper,” and going to bed 
early. If a child is wet with perspiration ufc 
bed titno it should be well rubbed off with a 
coarse towel, which induces sleep and pre¬ 
vents sudden chill. 
CANNING TOMATOES. 
While canning fruit last Fall, I put up a 
few jars of tomatoes in the old fashioned way, 
some of which I intended to take to the fair. 
They were fresh from the garden and in prime 
condition. After peeling them 1 cut them in 
quarters and packed the cans as full ps p ssi- 
ble aud placed them in a boiierof warm w ater 
over the fire; y hen the fruit was thoroughly 
scaldid, I seakd up the cans, and u hen cold I 
put them in the cold, dark ci-lla*. I could not 
help admiring their beautiful appearance, ao 
I placed them one by one upon the broad 
shelf. At the same time my mother prepared 
some for canning, but put them iu n stone 
stewpan, and boiled them till nearly all the 
juice had evaporated, then put them in cans 
and sealed them as t.gutly as possible We 
both used the Mason cam A part of mine be¬ 
gan to show air buboles in a few dn\ s, aud 
were used up immediately; those Lb t wire 
kept till Spring were good pickles, while 
mother’s retained their primitive flavor and 
were delightfully fresh and delicious. 
A great convenience in a house is a porch, 
CHICKS DYING-A NTS, 
MARY BEAL MCLOUTH 
Last year I lost nearly ail my chicks be_ 
fore they were a week c Id. Neighbors pre 
tended to tell me the d.fficulty, and a thou¬ 
sand and one remedies were prescribed. On 
examination, the bodies were literally cov¬ 
ered with a very large louse, aud the remain¬ 
der cnly were saved by isolating them from 
the rest of the fowls and thoroughly smearing 
each chick and mother with three parts of 
lard, one part of kerosene and a pinch of 
sulphur. This year I made their nests of ce¬ 
dar leaves, and avoided all vermin. 
One pest I have been fighting for three 
years: a little red ant as small as a pin 
hc-ad. He marched over pepper, sale, chalk 
arid insect powder, and would not eat Paris- 
grem, cobalt or quicksilver. I had a cup 
board with legs set in water, but be swam 
over and had his feast the first night. Then 
I put ashes in the water and finished his 
career in that direction, but the ashes must 
be kept wet. 
LAMENESS OF HORSES. 
We again call our readers’ attention to the 
fact that a fine dust of Persian Insect Powder 
(Pyrethrum roseum or Generarscfolium) made 
by blowing the powder ; hrough a small bel¬ 
lows, will literally rid a room or house of 
flies in 20 minutes. Our stumbling upon this 
fact several months ago (see Rural of Au¬ 
gust 5, page 128) has saved us much vexation. 
Much of the Persian Insect Powder sold will 
not destroy insect life. This is owing to its 
adulteration or age. We tried two lots that did 
not even stupify the flies, while with another, 
although it made them perfectly helpless, and 
they lay as if dead, after a time they regained 
their activity. In such a c >se it is best to 
sweep them up as soon as they fall to the 
floor. 
MRS. ANNIE L. JACK. 
The old routine of every day life is very 
galling to a sensitive aud nervous woman. 
The round of breakfast, dinner and supper, 
with its inevitable dish-washing, chafes and 
irritates our hearts and lives. Oh, if the 
dishes would wash themselves I If it could be 
so arranged that life would go on for awhile 
without this weary round. The men find food 
for thought and variety of duties in their out- 
of-door toil; for them seldom are two days’ 
labor alike. But not so w ith a woman who 
haa household duties to perform, and who 
knows that they will not wait. To such it is 
a neoessity to have a change in thbir lives, and 
a trip to the seaside or the mountains is a 
rest, and recuperates body and mind for re¬ 
newed labor. And what interest attaches to 
Blg.ii- ud, Lumtnltia or Founder. 
“Sweeny,” or wasting or the) Sprains. 
shouldt-r muscle, shoulder-joint vrr< "nch cs or 
* oonflugg ous 
amenoss, elbow-joint lameness, by overwork 
th or ougli-plu, splint, lamlultla, >ovo r d riving, 
bone, navicular disease, aide | rumilmt dowu 
bom *, stifled, luxations of patella. I hill, over load 
or - pralu of the Joint, curb and | lng and over- 
spasm. j exertion. 
BUr-Iiead splints, curb, spavins, I Coustltu* tonal 
thorough-pin ring-bone. laud hereditary. 
All of the above are preventable, und it may 
no doubt help greatly in the very e.isy pre¬ 
vention of them, to point out in this clear and 
expressive manner the original sources of 
these various diseases, adding to this a few re- 
Respectdble agents for the Rural New- 
Yorker wanted everywhere. Examine the 
Premium Lists. Anyone sending us seven 
subscribers at two dollars each{our only price, 
will secure the Rural for one year. 
