The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-10-04
INC TANNER.
PLANK FLOORS INJURIOUS TO HORSES. I
Why are plank floors in stables injarious to horses

M lsL Because they deprive The hoof Of receiving Ger
M tain assistance, which they require for their well be.
W ing, and which in state of nature they receive by
1.-The hoofs of horses are a horny elastic no
rons substance, capable OF receiving moisture which
* Is indspensably necessary to their we'll being; in q
natural state they receive t. and in domesticated
Is state they might, if men would hearken to the man
dates Of nature; tho evils Of dom eslicati6n to the
horse are recognized by many intelligent observers
1nd admirers Of the borse in proportion as we vary
| our treatment TO the horse, from his natural way
IA olvng, in the same ratio does dsease and aneness
IN exist It's q solemn fact, start not at the idea that
ho diseases Of horses are induced by the deeds Of
aen candid observation will prove tho truth Of this
W assertion. The thorse's natural floor tho earth ia
tho best, and only suitable floor lor hm on that his
hoofs receive requisite MOISTURE on plank floors thew
do mott why because it is not there. The plank
floors generally (always believe when they are
made GashOnabe) made higher at the fore part than
the hind pans consequently what little moisture there
may DO from the dung, or urine is drawn away from
The 6reeei; the effect is, the horse becomes lame
in tho rore-feet hoof bound narrow heels &c while
the hind feet remain sound and healthy! WHY! be-
cause the hind feet receive moisture from the dung
urine, &c.,wheD the fore feet fail to receive it il will
he found upon examination that nine-tenths OF the
horses that are iamo, in the fore feet; singc
'nHuge, road ard hackney horsss, that ARE stabbed
al the time, Except when in use) are generally the
subjects Of snch nmeness mn ority of writer's and
iiriefs, acknowledge md depore the prevalence of
'meness in the fore feet and as It is easier TO cut n
knot Than unite 1t. they say that bad shoeing is tho
cause Of all this ameness so blind are they To cause
md effect, that they appear TO me know not hat
they say they have got the boot on the wrong leg,
end will show il. Dlacksmths are like other men,
they have their failngs and may perhaps lams hor-
sea occasionally bot because Of this must they bear
,Ne blame of all other mems misdeods Nc. no they
should not five only seek for the true cause of all his
amenesS I am blacksmith, I stanu guv'' sr'a
defence of myself and brethren when falsely accused
The same cause win produce the same effect; horsrs
that kept mp are generally shod a round by tile
same man. and in tho same manner; well now. ir Bad
,hoeing lanes the fore feet, why will tno lame the
hind ones in the same mannerr Tell us why, you
hult.6uders who falsely accuse horse-shoers' or
else dssist; look at the effects ofyour own bad man
agoment uioeuess and false philosophy, and you will
fad that your dry plank floors are the cause of so
much Ianeness and not bad shoaing
Another evil attending upon making the stalls high
in front, is that /; compes horse to stand in an
unnatural positon, which is certainly improper; when
horse stands in such manner, the muscles and ar
eries of the hind legs are kept consianily on the
stretch; frequently producing vindgals, SC. These
IDEAS, if true may saggest the idea of level stable
floors; and of the importance or moisture the hoof
which may be impaired by washing with water daily
the legs of the horse, with water that mnst of me-
ccssiy be kept in The stable Western C0iticator
The evils spoken Of above may, in measure be
remedied by keeping the floor covered with lonm
When the keeper has sufficient room, is well 10 oc
cupy two stalls; one TINS covered with vegetable
mould, FOR the horse to stand upon during the day,
and another with bedding FOR the night. The add-
tOna amount of manure thus made will more than
compensate for the trouble.
t.------------------- 10 4
GETTING PooR ON RICH LAND, AND RIcH
oN Pooh LANDS. A close observer Of men and
ahogs, says The Ohio Cultiyator, :old the follow
ing little history, which hope will Pow very deep
y into the attention OF all who pOw very shallow in
their soils -. ....,.
Two brothers settled together in - county
one Of them on a cold, ugly, clay SOIL covered with
oack-ack oak, not one of which was large enough to
make dozen rails, This man would never drive
any bu, large, powerful Conastoga horses, some sew
'nseen hands high ssHe always putthrcc horses to
large plow, and plunged il in somo ten inches deep
This deep blowing he invariably practlced aud cult
waited thoroughly afterwards iIe raised his seventy
bushels Of corn to tho acre.
This man had brother about six miles oil, settled
on rich White River bottom, land farm, and, while
back-jac soil yielded seventy bushels 10 the acre,
this fine bottom land would not average fifty. One
brother was steadily growing rich poor land, and
The other steadily growing poor on rich land IA
One day the bottom land brother came down to
see the black jack oak farmer and they began to talk
about their crops and FARMS as farmers are very APT
10 do - PSI n IN fd3t ~ ai~-siF m f'''t'' y
'iIow isit, said the first. '',hat you manage on
Tins poor soil TO beat me in crops - $3.50 t''i "a
The reply ,was;t 'I cork my land'' is'i nas1f9 d
mat was il exactly. Some men have such rich
land that they Won't tcork il; and they never get
step beyond where they began They rely on the
SOIL not on abor,or skill care. Some men expect