1883 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
441 
Glanders in Horses. 
BT A. I.IAUTARD, M IX, V.S., PRESIDENT AMERICAN 
VETERINARY COLLEGE. 
Every horse-owner is more or less acquainted 
with that loathsome disease, the Glanders, and 
every one should be aware that it is both contagious 
and fatal, not only to horses, but also to mankind. 
The fact that the disease has to this day baffled all 
treatment, is sufficient reason why the detection 
of glanders in a stable is always looked upon as 
serious. If the disease always assumed the same 
characters, if every glandered horse presented the 
three special symptoms essentially belonging to it, 
namely, the greenish, sticky, and at times bloody 
discharge at the nose, the hard, painless, and ad¬ 
herent swollen glands at the jaws, and, above all, 
the peculiar and characteristic ulcerations of the 
mucous membrane upon the cartilage of the 
cavities of the nose, there would be no difficulties 
in recognizing the disease, and condemning the 
animal thus afflicted as most dangerous. But 
this is not always the case. This disease assumes 
many forms. Sometimes only a slight glandular 
enlargement, again discharges from the nostrils, 
while in a third animal neither of these will exist, 
and only small ulcers will be detected in the upper 
angle of the nostrils. Still the animal is just as 
dangerous as if it showed all the symptoms fully 
developed; in fact, even more dangerous, for, 
while in this condition, it may apparently be in 
perfect health, its skin presenting nothing unusual 
to the ordinary observer. The horse may remain 
in good condition, feel as well as ever, be able to 
do its work, and remain thus for months, and 
communicate the glanders to many animals who 
may come in contact with it. It is necessary to 
detect the disease at the start, and for this no one 
should be better qualified than the regular Veteri¬ 
narian ; he who has by his studies become familiar 
with the different aspects of the disease. If once 
detected, there must be no hesitation; certainty 
of the existence of the disease should mean death 
to the animal affected. Unless it is killed, most 
serious, even fatal consequences, may follow. 
The duty of the owner of an animal in a suspi¬ 
cious condition is, to have it examined at once, if 
there is no doubt about the disease, the horse must 
be at once destroyed. If there is doubt, it should 
be isolated and rather than wait for the develop¬ 
ment of all the symptoms, which may take a 
long time, inoculation of the matter from the 
discharge can be made on an old horse, a dog, 
or a rabbit, but still better on an old mule or a 
donkey. This inoculation will produce glanders, 
no matter how small the quantity of the virus if 
taken from a glandered horse. 
What Sheep to Grow—The Downs. 
The Down breeds are preferred for mutton. The 
Southdown, which ranks first, is of medium size, 
with short legs ; a fine head ; smooth, round, deep 
body ; and broad back and quarters. It is hardy, 
active, a quick feeder, matures early, and is easily 
fattened at any age. The ewes are prolific, and a 
flock of one hundred will average annually from 
one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and 
fifty lambs, as they often produce twins, and some¬ 
times triplets, 
The size, activity, and hardiness of these sheep 
specially fit them for short, rough pastures, on 
which they will thrive fairly where larger sheep 
would scarcely keep alive. They do better on the 
great Western plains than other mutton sheep, as 
they are more industrious in digging under the 
snow for grass in winter, and thrive the best of all 
breeds, West or East, on arid or rocky pastures. 
While thus exposed they are less liable to disease 
than any other breed, save the tough Merino, and 
can be kept in large flocks. The Southdown buck, 
crossed with common ewes, makes a great im¬ 
provement in the offspring over their dams, and 
the mutton finds much quicker sale at higher 
prices than the common sorts. A first cross by 
long-wooled rams on lean grade Merino ewes may 
be preferable, in order to give more fat; but it is 
best to cross ewes thus produced with Southdown 
rams, to ensure a larger proportion of juicy, savory 
flesh. Yet, on the larger common ewes, and 
especially those tinctured with long-wooled blood, 
the Southdown male cross is decidedly superior. 
The Southdown fleece is abundant, of medium 
fineness, and preferable to any other for certain 
kinds of goods. The wool, therefore, sells quickly 
and at fair prices ; but while the wool contributes 
largely to the profit, mutton is the great thing with 
these sheep. Early lambs can be more easily ob¬ 
tained from Southdown ewes than from any other, 
and these bring high prices from March to June. 
Though more difficult and expensive to produce 
such lambs at the North during these months, at 
the South it may be cheaply and easily done, and 
be a source of wealth to those who judiciously 
breed and rear them for Northern markets. A. 
On receiving this copy of the American Agricul¬ 
turist, we trust our readers will immediately renew 
their subscriptions without waiting until they ex¬ 
pire. If you belong to a club, please see that its 
formation begins at once, to the end that the 
names may be enrolled at an early day. We shall 
be glad to forward an extra copy of the paper to 
every person who wishes to use one in securing 
subscriptions or premium articles. 
Improving Prairie Roads. 
It is well known that the roads in the greater 
portion of the Western prairies are fit for travel 
only when frozen solid in winter, or baked dry 
Fig. 1.— CROSS SECTION OR A BAD ROAD. 
aDd hard in mid-summer. Experience shows that 
a road constructed wholly of earth, must be ele¬ 
vated somewhat above the surrounding level, and 
to be solid, must rest upon a dry foundation ; con¬ 
sequently drainage is the first and most important 
consideration. Many miles of our most expensive 
roads are flanked by ditches full of water during a 
great portion of the year, which renders them al¬ 
most impassable for the time being ; yet those who 
use these roads make no systematic effort to drain 
the ditches, but go on piling up the mud at every 
favorable opportunity, and then wonder why their 
roads are no better. Figure 1 is a cross-section of 
such a road ; a, is the level line ; r , road-bed ; h , h, 
hedges ; w, water line. Just so long as the water 
remains in the ditches at the sides of the road, the 
Fig. 3.— TILE DRAINS AT THE SIDES. 
water line ( w ) in the center of the road-bed will 
not lower. A dry crust will form on the top, but 
a heavy load will force the wagon wheels through 
it and into the mire. Figure 2 is a cross-section of 
a road where an effort has been made to improve 
it by putting in tile drains at the sides. Though 
this is a vast improvement over figure 1, the water 
line shows plainly that the principle is wrong. 
Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a road where the 
tile drains are laid, sixteen to twenty feet apart, 
directly below the road-bed. The water line 
shows that this is the correct method of tile-drain¬ 
ing roads. Water should not stand in the ditches, 
by the side of the road. Figure 4 represents a. 
Fig. 3.— TILES NEAR THE CENTER. 
cross-section of the same road as it should be con- 
structed od high ground. The outlets of the tile 
drains should be under the bridges and culverts 
in the hollows and ravines. When necessary, out¬ 
let drains should be laid across farms, the owner 
thereof paying a portion of the cost of the 
same, as his land is adjudged to be benefited. 
Roads constructed in this manner dry rapidly in 
Fig. 4.— CROSS SECTION OF A GOOD ROAD. 
the spring, when the frost comes out, because the 
surplus water has already left the foundation, 
and the earth settles solidly. At such times 
they need constant attention, however, and the 
rut-scraper should be promptly used whenever the 
surface is not too wet. This prevents the road 
from becoming rough and rutty. When properly 
cared for, the roads do not become soft, even dur¬ 
ing long wet spells. The water rapidly runs off 
from the smooth, rounded surface, and is carried 
away by the side ditches, while the foundation is 
quickly drained by the tiles, so that a few hours 
render the road firm enough for the heaviest loads. 
When once constructed, prairie roads should be 
divided into sections of two to eight miles in 
length, according to circumstances, and placed 
in charge of road masters, who should receive a 
fixed monthly compensation, be provided with 
proper tools, aDd placed under bonds to keep their 
respective sections in good condition. The duties 
of these “ section bosses ” should be clearly de¬ 
fined, and include the cutting of grass and weeds, 
and the care of trees planted along the road-side. 
They should also be empowered to compel owners 
of hedges along the highway to keep them cut 
down to a proper higlit. 
Digging Potatoes. 
Potatoes are often greatly injured for table use 
by needless exposure in digging. It should be kept 
in mind that a potato is an underground stem. It 
has the bark (skin) of other stems, but in a modi¬ 
fied state. When a potato grows so near to the 
surface that a part of it is exposed to the light, that 
portion assumes the green color and general char¬ 
acters of the ordinary stems. It is well known that 
the stems or vines of the potato contain a nar¬ 
cotic principle, which is poisonous and has fortu¬ 
nately a most unpleasant taste. When a tuber is 
exposed long enough after digging it becomes 
green, and with an unpleasant flavor that unfits it 
for food. Even before the green is manifest, pota¬ 
toes often develop this flavor, which we have heard 
described as “cut-throat.” When potatoes are 
dug, they should be allowed to dry a little before 
they are stored for the winter. To accomplish this 
they do not need direct sunshine. They should be 
throw'n out in shallow heaps and slightly covered 
with vines and weeds. These will keep oil the sun 
but will not prevent the air from reaching and dry¬ 
ing their surfaces. Those who buy potatoes at 
city stores and markets, often find them with a 
very bad flavor, due to exposure to the light. It is 
best to dig the potatoes in dry w'eather, and whether 
they are to be pitted or stored in a cellar, keep 
them screened from sunlight as much as possible. 
