384 
THE RURAL, NEW-YORKER 
March 16, 
MORE UNTRUE THEORIES ABOUT MULES. 
We have a Western mare, which we 
bought intending to use her as a brood 
mare. She proved to be with foal at the 
time, hut the foal proved to be a mule. 
We have been told by several people that 
a mare will not breed to a horse, after 
raising a mule colt. It does not look 
reasonable to me and I iind there are numer¬ 
ous other wonderful theories abroad in re¬ 
gard to mules which I know are not true. 
A mule is almost an unknown quantity in 
this section although a few have come in 
within a few years. Our mule was foaled 
In 1908, the mare was bred that Summer, 
but did not prove with foal. There is now 
a good Kentucky jack near here; it is true 
that we cannot raise a horse colt from her, 
we will try to raise another mule, but per¬ 
sonally we have no use for the mules and 
we do like the mare, and would like to raise 
some colts from her for our own use. This 
query may seem very simple, but it is noth¬ 
ing compared to some of the myths that 
are commonly believed about mules. 
Skowhegan, Me. K. E. p. 
There is no truth in the statement re¬ 
ferred to; but it sometimes happens that 
when a mare fails to breed to a stal¬ 
lion she will do so when bred to a jack. 
What you may have heard is the equal¬ 
ly untrue, and perfectly disproved, be¬ 
lief that after a mare has had a mule 
foal all her future progeny by a stal¬ 
lion, or some of it at least, will show 
mule characters as regards color, ears, 
“voice,” etc. This is the theory of “tel- 
gony” and is no longer believed in by 
scientists. The thorough experiments 
made by Prof. Ewart with zebra mare 
hybrids have disproved the old belief in 
“taint” or “impression” affecting the 
mare. A. s. a. 
TRICKS OF THE HORSE JOCKEYS. 
On page 140 of The R. N.-Y., A. E. P. 
of Ilopkinton, Mass., tells of his own or 
neighbors’ experiences with Boston horse 
jockeys. While they may be no worse tban 
those of other cities they are certainly as 
bad as he indicates, as 1 can testify from 
my own experience. In 1907 I thought I 
had bought a horse in Boston, having made 
a deposit and taken a receipt therefor. 
The next morning I sent a man to ride the 
horse out. To my surprise he arrived home 
without the horse, saying that no one could 
get him out of the stall. lie was so vicious 
that he would lash out with his heels when 
approached. By what trick they made the 
animal kick I do not know, but he certainly 
was docile enough the day before. The next 
day I went in myself and they wanted to 
let me have another horse for more money. 
As I would not buy another horse from 
them at any price, this game did not 
work. Then they wanted me to let them try 
to sell the first horse, but I demanded my 
money back. I threatend them with the 
law but they laughed and defied me to do 
my worst. I had ascertained that it was 
useless to sue, as it had been tried many 
times without success, as they stood in 
with the city officials. My lawyer informed 
me that they were a set of robbers and that 
the city would be well rid of them, but that 
at that time it was impossible to rout them. 
With this knowledge I did the best I could 
and succeeded in getting back most of my 
money. These men keep one or two hostlers 
and also some “loafers” in the office to lie 
for them, and they are past masters in 
the art. 
The next time on trying to purchase a 
horse in Boston I took with me two wit¬ 
nesses. This time we visited a larger es¬ 
tablishment, but they proved to be of the 
same class of crooks. Having picked out a 
horse that suited us I took an “ironclad” 
bill of sale and receipt before witnesses, the 
horse to be delivered (also in writing). Not 
receiving the horse I sent my witnesses to 
the stable to see what the matter was. On 
approaching the stable they were evidently 
seen and being suspicious of fraud, lost 
no time in entering the stable and had a 
glimpse of the horse being spirited out the 
back way. They demanded the horse and 
were told that they had shipped him. They 
knew better and demanded either the horse 
or the money, and one started threatening 
to get an officer, leaving one to keep watch. 
One of them saw the horse being ridden 
along a back street. He returned to the 
stable and they again demanded the money, 
which they got in full. This last horse 
was worth the price paid I believe, but they 
had no idea of letting him go. Their game 
was to get you so disgusted with the affair 
that you would sacrifice a considerable sum 
to get out of the mess. They wasted their 
time for once at least, but may have sold 
the horse a dozen times since.. 
Massachusetts. l. c. bartlett. 
Cayenne Pepper for Vermin. —Tell H. 
B., ITempstead, N. Y., to try cayenne (red) 
pepper in rat and mouse runs, and report 
the results through Tiie R. N.-Y. I know 
of a person here who has tried it with good 
success. c. F. R. 
[Fistula of Milk Duct. 
1 have a valuable Jersey cow with first 
calf; will be dry soon. She has a hole in 
the side of teat about the size of the one in 
the end. How can I close it permanently'; 
Ohio. j. j. f. 
It is a difficult matter to close such a 
fistulous opening. The popular treatment 
among dairymen is to burn the inside of 
the hole by inserting a red-hot knitting 
needle. This does not often succeed, and 
may be followed by disastrous inflamma¬ 
tion and infection of the udder. It is best 
to have an operation performed by a trained 
surgeon. a. s. a. 
Lameness in Cow. 
I have a four-year-old cow, giving some 
milk, not with calf, that is stiff in her 
legs, walks slowly, can get up and down. 
Trouble been coming on for five or six 
weeks. She eats fairly well. Can you tell 
me any remedy? This cow is kept in a 
warm, dry place and has good care 
Massachusetts. f. c. s. 
Confinement to a warm place may have 
induced the trouble. Turn her out for 
daily exercise and feed succulent or laxa¬ 
tive feeds to open bowels. If trouble con¬ 
tinues give her a tablespoonful of powdered 
alum in feed each other night for a few 
days. a. s. a. 
Puff. 
One of my horses has a small lump on the 
bone on the outside of the hind leg midway 
between the knee and hoof. I think it was 
caused by a bruise. The lump is soft and 
I have been able to reduce the size of it 
somewhat by blistering a good many times. 
It does not lame the animal any. Can you 
tell me what to do? The horse is about 
five years old and the lump looks bad. 
New York. a. b. 
Clip off the hair and each other night 
paint part with tincture of iodine. At other 
times keep pressure upon the puff, by means 
of a wad of oakum and bandage. a. s. a. 
Ringworm. 
Unnerving. 
I have a horse with navicular disease. 
Would) the horse’s foot rot off after several 
years if I had him unnerved as you say 
should be done? h. r. 
Pennsylvania. 
A mule or jack’s hoof is liable to slough 
off as a result of unnerving ; but it is rare 
for this to occur in the horse. When it 
does the foot has been in a diseased condi¬ 
tion at time of unnerving, or has been in¬ 
jured and infected afterward. A skilled 
veterinarian does not fear sloughing in the 
low operation, but it is more liable to oc¬ 
cur when the trunk nerve is severed above 
the fetlock. a. s. a. 
Sweating in Stable. 
I have a colt three years old in Spring; 
she sweats around the flanks at night in 
stable, has been sweating for about six 
weeks. She does not sweat when out of 
doors, appears all right otherwise, eats well. 
I have been feeding her Alfalfa straw in 
stable with six ears of corn twice a day, 
running in stock field in day time when 
weather is not too bad. A veterinarian 
gave me some medicine for her kidneys, but 
does not seem to do any good. j. B. R. 
Nebraska. 
Properly ventilate the stable. Allow the 
colt a box stall in stable, but make her 
run out daily. Clip the hair from belly 
and from legs above hocks and knees and 
this will stop the sweating, provided the 
stable is well ventilated. a. s. a. 
Cow With Abcess. 
I have a four-year cow coming fresh in a 
few days. She has a lump just back of 
the rump about three inches across with a 
hole in the middle that has been there two 
weeks and now it is breaking around the 
old place. The cow eats all right, looks 
well. 1 would like to know what it is and 
what to do for it. F. w. s. 
Pennsylvania. 
We are unable to determine the exact 
location of the lump and orifice which ap¬ 
parently is a fistulous abscess. If you mean 
that it is hack of the point of the hip the 
hole may connect with a bit of bone broken 
off the tuberosity of the hip, and this 
would have to be removed. Without an 
examination we are unable to understand 
or prescribe confidently for the condition 
in question, and you should therefore em¬ 
ploy a local graduate veterinarian. 
a. s. A. 
Carbonic Acid Gas in Silo. 
On page 250 you speak of carbonic acid 
gas in an underground silo. I understand 
this gas forms when filling silo, but will it 
form after the silage is cured? That is, 
after it has been fed below the last opening 
is there danger of the gas again? If it is 
safe after cured would not the underground 
silo be better for Summer feeding than if 
above ground? j. g. c. 
Portland, N. Y. 
Our understanding is that small quanti¬ 
ties of the gas will be formed even after 
“curing.” The great danger is during fill¬ 
ing. At this time no one should go down 
iuto an underground silo without first low¬ 
ering a lighted lantern. If the flame con¬ 
tinues to burn you can safely go down. If 
the flame goes out stir up the air well before 
going in. The carbonic acid gas is heavy 
and settles at the bottom. We want all 
the facts about these underground silos. The 
thing looks reasonable, but what are the 
disadvantages? 
NEVER LEAK 
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THE OTTO GAS ENGINE WORKS 3304 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 
What is 
Your Best Horse 
Worth tdYou? 
Yet your best horse is just as liable 
to develop a Spavin, Ringbone, 
Splint, Curb or Lameness as your 
poorest. These ailments cannot be 
prevented but they can be cured if 
taken in time. Keep a bottle of the 
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handy always. For over 35 years this 
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dollars In horseflesh and untold time, work 
and worry. 
The experience of Mr. W. C. Hutchinson 
Nashville. Ark., is merely typical of thou¬ 
sands. He says: 
‘•Of all the horse medicines J ever used. 
Kendall's Spavin Cure is king of them all.” 
And Mr. Frank L. Girard, Waterloo, 
Que., writes: 
••I have known and used Kendall’s Spavin 
Cure for about 35 years. Have always 
found it the best liniment for man and 
Don't take chances with your horses. 
Have a bottle or two of Kendall’s Spavin 
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Price SI.00 per bottle or 6 bottles for S5.00. 
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Bruises, Soft Hunches. Care Bolls, 
Boll Evil, Ouitor, Fistula or any 
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to use; does not blister under 
bandage or remove the hair, and 
you can work the horse. $2 per bot¬ 
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ABSORBINE, JR., liniment for 
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Here’s the sure 
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FARM LABOR BUREAU, 176 Second Avenue, New York City. 
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Box 3 Belleville, Pa. 
