The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-05-25
A8rltnltural.
Is sloth indulgence it's n toll,
Enervatcs man and damns the soil.
Young.
The Teeth Of the Horse, and his Age.

DR.. STADE is lecturing in Boston upon
anatomy Of the Horse. The fourth was
upon thc suNj.c: above cited. We cut the
following report Of his remarks from that
excellent paper, the Boston Traveller:
In opening, the lecturer remarked that
the belief that the age of horse, is shown
by his teeth, is OF very ancient origin. The
Development OF these organs is very rcgu-
lar, but yet the Appearances that they present
Mt different periods are not sure criterion
by which to judge Of age. II is sure enough,
however, to answer all practical purposes
1t can hardly be said that the horse carries
about in his mouth certificate of his birth,
and yet so regular are the changes which
take place mt stated times in the mouth of
the horse, that experienced observers have
no difficulty in approximating with considcra-
BILE certainty to the age of the animal.
The lecturer then dwelt mt length on the
anatomy of the tee h Of the horse, which are
forty in number. These teeth are set in the
jaw in separate cavities, divided by bony
substance these cavities change their form
with age, ard when tooth is lost become
entirely filled up.
OF the forty teeth, twelve are incisors.
twcnty-four are molars, and four are tus-
'cors.
=. The nippers are clasped in pairs, being cut
IN that manner. The wolf teeth are Just an
terror to the grinders, have very small fangs,
and are shed with the first molars.
The teeth are composed of three ngrcdi.
ents, the crusts PrctoSa, or hard crust, which
Is sometimes supposed to be tartar: the
enamel, Of pearly color, and very brittle; the
ivory, forming the main body of the tooth.
In the nippers are cavities protected by
oh t..a-
them. These cavities are called marks and
are supposed to show the age of the horse.
They cannot be relied upon accurately, as
they, In some horses, become filled by the
crusta pretora at a much earlier period than
in others. In the temporary teeth the marks
are very shallow, but in permanent teeth
much larger.
Nature provides for the gradual wear of
the teeth OF the horse. The teeth grow un-
III the animal Is seven years Of age, and af.
Ter that thoy gradually project farther into
The mouth. In m old horse the marks are
much more shallow than in the young horse,
showing that the teeth have projected.
Ibe tuscors exist only IN the rudmeniary
formiu man, and are often moi found nj ali
They are chiefly useful 70 the stations in
which they often engage, especially in wild
state.
The milk, or temporary teeth, ere removed
Dy absorption. The permanent molars are
iuily cut before the milk teeth are shed. Thus
Keeping the horse supplied with instruments
TO grind his food. The mouth of n vonng
colt resembles very much in form n parrots
mouth.
The horse has two sets of teeth. the tenn
,porary or milk teeth, and the permoncnt
teeth. The milk teeth are twentv.fonr H.
number, twelve incisors and twelve moInrs
1t Is highly important, In Judging oc ~,
age OF the horse, to be able to distin0uisb
between the milk and the perm ncnt Teeth
The milk teeth are white, the crowns are
short and broad, the neck is well deyelopod
and the roots are short. The outer surface
Is covered with channels, giving the teeth
huted appearance.
The permanent teeth are large, the enamel
Is only partially exposed. and there Is no
huted appearance, but one or two broad
grooves run the length Of the crown the "a.
bic Is also broader
TO determine the age Of the horse tho
French divide his life into seven periods =
The iirst Is from birth 10 ten months ~ ao.
and Is characterized by the appesranea ~
the milk incisors. the two middle mal;n,,
their appearance during the frst ten days ~
Ter birth, and beiuE very large In Comparison
to the size Of the aiifhal The other lrr;sors
appear at gradual periods during the first n.
yi:ioa During this division, also, threc mill
grinders appear.