398 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
June 12 
Live Stock Matters 
“MY HORSE IS A MULE.” 
BETTER FOR SOUTHERN FARMING. 
Ab many farmers, in coming to the 
South, briDg their horses with them or, 
upon reaching here, immediately buy 
the required team force of western 
horses, a great many of which are now 
being sold by auction in our chief cities, 
it may be worth something to know just 
what to expect of such animals. Not 
having an exact knowledge of the 
climate conditions in this latitude, we, 
in coming from Ontario, Canada, brought 
as many horses (15, mostly mares), as we 
thought necessary to do the work for 
the first year or two, with a Clydesdale 
stallion to keep up the supply. They 
were put to work plowing, harrowing, 
etc., at once, March 1, 1888. In less than 
six weeks, we found it necessary to in¬ 
crease the team force or curtail our 
plans of work. 
The horses did not seem to have enough 
stamina to stand nearly as much work 
as they had always been accustomed to 
doing. It was not from heat, as the 
weather here does not get very warm 
till June. Perhaps the change from oats 
to corn bad something to do with it, but 
I am certain not all, as a number of 
western horses that have recently come 
into this neighborhood, that had been 
used to corn, yielded to the same indis¬ 
position. 
Some of the horses brought from Can¬ 
ada nine years ago are still here and 
have been at work to-day. During the 
first year, they had but little energy ; 
since then, though at pretty constant 
work, they have done well. Their colts 
born here have not shown the climatic 
enervation their mothers underwent the 
first year ; but for ordinary farm work 
in Tidewater Virginia, neither the north¬ 
ern nor western-bred horse, or heavy 
horse raised here, is equal to the same 
in the drier and more invigorating at¬ 
mosphere of the West and North. 
For this climate and labor to be had 
here, mules by far surpass horses. It is 
an exceptional horse that will do the 
same work as a mule, even in a white 
man’s hands; but with the average 
negro, mules are the best every time. 
We put a 1,000-pound mule with a 1,200- 
pound horse, and expect the mule to do 
an equal share of the work, which he 
does, and keeps in better flesh with 
much less feed and care. We long since 
were convinced of the superiority of the 
mule, and have used a jack of late. A 
mule from a good jack and a 1,200-pound 
Clydesdale or Percheron mare will do 
quite a half more work, in this climate, 
than its mother, and is good for 15 or 
more years. We find that because one 
owns a mule, he need not keep his life 
insured either, albert r. bellwood. 
Virginia. _ 
AILING ANIMALS. 
ANSWERS by dr. f. l. kilborne. 
Iodide of Potash for Horses. 
J. 3., Spooner, Wis.—I saw in The R. N.-Y. an 
account of a horse with rheumatic founder. I 
think that I have a 1,600-pound mare that is 
troubled the same way. She has been that way 
for three years, off and on. If I give her a hard 
day at harrowing, she will be so stiff the next 
day she can hardly turn around; the muscles of 
her legs and thighs will seem to be tied in knots. 
How shall I give the iodide of potash ? What 
size doses, how often, and how long is it safe to 
give it ? 
The dose of the iodide of potash for a 
medium-sized horse is two drams, re¬ 
peated once or twice daily and continued 
for a week or ten days ; after that the 
medicine should be withheld for two or 
three days. It can then be repeated if 
necessary. For a 1,600-pound mare, 
three-dram doses could be safely given. 
If it is desirable to get a marked effect 
in three or four days, the full dose can 
be given three times daily; but more 
satisfactory results are, usually, ob¬ 
tained by giving only once or twice 
daily and continuing for the longer 
period. The iodide is best administered 
in solution', as a drench, and before feed¬ 
ing. But owing to the trouble of drench¬ 
ing, it is more conveniently given mixed 
with a little wheat bran or ground oats, 
when it will be readily eaten. If the 
horse be given a pinch of salt daily dur¬ 
ing the treatment, the effects of the 
iodide are said to be increased. 
Remedy for “ Thick Wind”. 
J. C. F., Montgomery, N. Y.— What is the best 
remedy for thick wind, caused by throat dis¬ 
temper, breaking out on the side of the left jaw, 
and leaving the throat enlarged and wind thick ? 
Can it be cured ? 
A personal examination would be 
necessary in a case of this kind, to ascer¬ 
tain the nature and extent of the injury 
before I could satisfactorily advise treat¬ 
ment. Take the horse to a qualified 
veterinarian for treatment. It may or 
may not be curable, depending upon the 
condition. 
Retained Testicle in Pig. 
S. S. C., Hardwick, VI— In castrating pigs at 
three weeks old, I found one in which I could 
find no trace of the testicle on one side. The other 
side was removed properly. Is it possible that 
I can fully castrate him later, or if not, would it 
injure the quality it the meat if the pig is killed 
at seven or eigh • i nths of age ? 
It is quite likely that the other testicle 
will come down within the next few 
weeks, when it can be removed. If it 
do not, I would advise butchering at 
least as early as six months. The flesh 
might not become strong if kept until 
the eighth month, depending upon the 
development of the retained testicle ; 
but there would be danger of it after 
the fifth or sixth month. 
Rheumatism in Lambs. 
G. E. H , Bristol Springs, N. Y.— Several lambs, 
about two months old, have been taken with 
what seems to be some form of rheumatism. 
Their legs become stiff, and they are unable to 
stand, although apparently healthy in other 
respects, and having good appetites. They are 
grade Shropshires from good stock. 
The stiffness is, probably, due either 
to rheumatism or joint ill. Give the 
lambs three grains of salicylate of soda 
in powder placed on the tongue several 
times daily. House both the ewes and 
lambs during cold or wet weather. The 
ewes should be well fed, including a 
liberal grain ration, to insure a full sup¬ 
ply of milk for the lambs. If the stiff¬ 
ness continue, rub the legs daily with 
mustard water, after which rub dry or 
bandage. Also give three grains of iodide 
of potash three times daily dissolved in 
a spoonful of water. 
KILLING THE HORN FLY. 
What is a reliable formula for destroying the 
Texas horn fly, or keeping it off the cows ? 
Otego, N. Y. g. N. C. 
Ans. —Undoubtedly, the most satisfac¬ 
tory way of preventing the attacks of 
the horn fly is to apply to the cattle 
some substance that serves as a repel- 
lant. A mixture of crude cotton-seed 
oil or fish oil, 100 parts, and crude car¬ 
bolic acid, three parts, applied lightly 
to those parts of the cattle frequented 
by the flies, will keep off the flies for 
four or five days. The mixture may be 
applied with a paint brush, a sponge, or 
even a woolen cloth. Where many cattle 
are to be treated, a very satisfactory 
method is to spray them with a combina¬ 
tion of kerosene emulsion and tobacco 
decoction. 
To make the emulsion, thoroughly 
dissolve one-half pound hard or soft 
soap in one gallon boiling water. While 
this solution is still very hot. add two 
gallons of kerosene and quickly begin 
to agitate the whole mass through a 
syringe or force pump, drawing the 
liquid into the pump and forcing it back 
into the dish. Continue this for five 
minutes, or until the whole mass assumes 
a creamy color and consistency which 
will adhere to the sides of the vessel, 
and not glide off like oil. It may now 
be readily diluted with cold rain water, 
or the whole mass may be allowed to 
cool, when it has a semi-solid form, not 
unlike loppered milk. This standard 
emulsion, if covered and placed in a 
cool, dark place, will keep for a long 
time. In making a dilution from this 
cold emulsion, it is necessary to dissolve 
the amount required in three or four 
parts of boiling water, after which cold 
rain water may be added in the required 
quantities. 
For the horn fly, dilute this standard 
emulsion with nine parts of water, and 
then add to this dilution one gallon of a 
decoction made by boiling one pound of 
tobacco stems in a gallon of water. A 
knapsack pump fitted with a fine spray 
nozzle will be found very useful in apply¬ 
ing this mixture, although it may be 
applied with a sponge. A good time to 
do it is just after milking time. One 
man adopts the following method : The 
cattle are driven into an inclosure 
through a gate which admits only one 
at a time. A man with a knapsack 
pump on his back stands at the gate and 
sprays one side of each animal as it 
passes ; they are then driven out again, 
and the other side is treated in the same 
manner. The quantity of liquid thus 
applied is very small, but it has been 
found sufficient. Wherever the liquid 
comes in contact with the flies, it is said 
to kill them instantly, and it will remain 
on the cattle in condition to act as a 
repellant for two or three days. By 
spraying with this combination two or 
three times a week, the cattle can be 
kept comparatively free from the insect 
with very little trouble and at small ex¬ 
pense. The emulsion and tobacco de¬ 
coction will leave the cattle cleaner and 
less greasy than the mixture j ust men¬ 
tioned. There is no danger of injuring 
the cattle with these mixtures, m. v. s. 
(Continued on next page.) 
Every farmer and poultry raise, 
knows that to make hens profitable 
the poultry houses must be kept 
dry, warm, and draughtless. 
Chickens grow faster, hens lay 
more eggs, and more eggs bring 
more money. How can you do 
all this? Simply cover your hen¬ 
houses with Neponsct Waterproof 
Red Rope Fabric. It is inexpen¬ 
sive, practical, and durable. 
Treat your cow and horse stables 
the same way, and see if the ani¬ 
mals do not appreciate it. Nepon¬ 
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or clapboards, and for the above 
purposes answers about as well. 
Guaranteed to be absolutely water, 
wind, frost, and vermin proof. 
Neponsct Black Building Paper 
for inside lining is very economi¬ 
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Full particulars and 
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For sale by Dealers 
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every year or two when one coat of American Cold 
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Mind this. It makes no difference, 
i RHEUMATISM 
Chronic, 
Acute, or 
Inflammatory 
of the Muscles, Joints, and Bones is cured by 
The Farmer’s Separator. 
The picric t.Rp farmer’s best friend this 
year, and the way 
to make the pig 
show his keep is to 
feed him with 
warm skim-milk 
fresh from a Little 
Giant Cream Sepa¬ 
rator. It has abso¬ 
lutely no butter-fat 
in it, but it tastes 
good, and it in¬ 
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West Chester, Pa. 
Elgin, Ill. 
Rutland, Vt. 
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__ How to Build. , 
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