1853. 
349 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Scratches in Horses. 
This well known disease; a sort of cutaneous affec¬ 
tion ending in cracks and sores, between the hinder 
pastern joints and hoofs, is sometimes quite trouble¬ 
some, and often difficult to cure. Several remedies are 
in common use, among which are, first, shearing off 
closely the hair, then washing well in soap suds, and 
then in salt water or beef brine—washing with soap 
suds and then rubbing off the surf or scabs with a corn 
cob, and applying a thin coating of hog’s lard. Ano¬ 
ther way is to wash with saltpetre after the soap suds 
washing has become dry, and after the saltpetre has 
become dry to apply a slight coat of turpentine 
with a feather or quill. All these remedies are 
quite similar in character, and are all useful, but we 
have never found anything equal to a solution of chlo¬ 
ride of lime , applied after the first washing, and after 
the removal of the scabs where necessary. We have 
never seen this remedy recommended, but it is certain¬ 
ly eminently cleansing in its operation. 
Cough in Horses. 
We once had a horse that had caught a bad cold, and 
coughed so severely that he could be heard half a mile. 
All sorts of remedies were proposed—enough we should 
think, to kill any good horse outright. These remedies 
were all rejected, (although some might have proved 
useful,) and the following course pursued. The horse 
was in the first place very carefully and moderately 
used, so as never to produce perspiration—he was care¬ 
fully blanketed when the weather was cold, [it was 
about mid-autumn,] or when he was in the least degree 
heated—he was kept ^constantly on green and succu¬ 
lent food, clover, roots, &c., and was supplied with a 
plenty of the best water at all times. In a few .weeks 
he was perfectly well. It is an old saying that more 
depends on the nurse than on the physician , which 
was verified in this instance. 
Feeding Calves. 
ted times. As soon as a change is made, it is very im¬ 
portant that this change should be gradual, as sudden 
transitions are always attended with more or less hazard 
or loss, or a check in growth not quickly got over. The 
first thing is to learn the young calf to drink new milk, 
which is done by drawing its mouth into the vessel while 
sucking the finger. As soon as it will drink freely, let 
a portion of warmed sldm-milk be added, daily increa¬ 
sing it until, in two or three weeks, it becomes wholly 
cold skim-milk. The milk itself, may, after a while, 
be gradually discontinued, by substituting at first, small 
portions of flour porridge, made like painter’s paste, or 
by mixing a pint of flour with water, so as to be as thick 
as cream, and then adding small portions of boiling wa¬ 
ter, constantly stirring, till a gallon or more has been 
added, applying heat afterwards. This cooking makes 
the flour more agreeable, and increases its nutritive ef¬ 
fects. At first it will need mixing largely with milk— 
afterwards it ma}' be increased and thickened. Fine 
“middlings ” may be then substituted for flour— 
bean meal has also been found useful when mixed with 
other food. Eating hay may be taugh^early, by placing 
a wisp for the calf to suck, portions, of which will be¬ 
come detached and eaten. When pasture appears calves 
soon learn to feed on it—but the artificial food already 
described, must be continued through the summer in 
connection with pasture. When several calves are to 
be fed together, this treatment is not troublesome, and 
will be found economical. 
Black Leg in Calves. 
The remedy (?) of Mr. E. Burnham, for this dis¬ 
ease, given in the Country Gentleman of the 4th of 
August, and taken from the Ohio Cultivator, namely— 
“ as much salt as the animals will eat once in every two 
days,” may possibly be a preventive, and I doubt it; but 
certainly it is not a remedy. 
This disease is common, on certain lands only , nay 
it is confined often to certain fields on the same farm in 
the West of Ireland, where stock raising is carried on 
very extensively, and the only remedy for this fatal 
disease that has ever been discovered, is the following, 
and the only one I ever heard of that was practiced 
In the August number of the Cultivator, under the 
head of “ notes for the month,” I observe an account 
of two extraordinary calves, reared by Mr. Aaron Wil¬ 
son of Ovid, N. Y., in which, in reference to the largest 
one, it is stated, “ this steer never ran with the cow, 
hut was reared “hy hand ” in the usual method .”— 
Now will Mr. Wilson, or some other of your numerous 
contributors give an account of the usual method of 
raising calves by hand, here spoken of ? Ther practice 
of managing calves in the south, is so different from that 
here alluded to, that I am very desirous of seeing an 
account of Mr. Wilson's method, and do not doubt that 
by furnishing it through the columns of the Cultivator, 
he will confer a great favor on many of your subscribers, 
but particularly on your ob’t servant, S. F. P. Cald¬ 
well County, N. C., August 17, 1853. 
We do not know what particular modification of hand¬ 
rearing was adopted in the instance referred to. One of 
the best modes of management is the following:—Give 
the calf the milk fresh from the cow, at least two or 
three weeks, by allowing it to suck at regular and sta¬ 
with success. 
“So soon as the first symptom of the disease makes 
its appearance, make an incision in the under part of 
the tail of the animal, near the root, where the skin is 
without hair, separate the skin on either side of tho in- 
cision from the bone, and into that purse so formed, put 
a small clove or piece of garlic, so secured as not to 
drop out, and leave it there, and you will find the cure 
certainly effected without further trouble, if the dis¬ 
ease has not gone too far before observed, and the re¬ 
medy applied.” 
The great power of this remedy may be partially es¬ 
timated, if the operator will observe the quickness with 
which the system is affected, for the operator can no 
sooner go froin the tail to the head of the animal, than 
he will find the breath strongly impregnated with the 
peculiar smell of the garlic. E. J. F. Newtown, Ky ., 
August, 1853. 
