Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-01-10

exposed above the surface of the ground) until
the moment 1t is required for watering animals.
and any portion that may be left in the trough
should be permitted to run away. The use of
very cold water is injurious to the animal, be-
sides rendering it necessary for him TO consume
larger amount of food to replace the heat so
lost. We have sometimes seen those who con-
sidered themselves very good farmers, break
holes through the ice in horse lroughs, TO per-
nit the horses to drink these are the "practi-
cal farmers" who scorn book learning and work
hard "like honest men," and ensure to their
children the same privilege.
From the Massachusetts Plourhmanl
Why don't our agricultural societies offer pre-
mums for the best walkers, as well as for the
best trotters? 1t is quite as important to far
mers to encourage good walking as fast trot-
ting. There is great difference in horses in
regard to walking. Farm horses are not re-
quired to go faster than walk vet in most
cases fast walk is desired and some will do
third more work in day than others, owing
wholly to their gait.
1t is natural for some horses to 90 faster than
others, when az ~crk on farm. But speed
may be improved by proper training-and no
doubt much improvement may be made BY the
breeders of horses, should they turn their at
tention to this point Let no horse be kept for
journeys horses in carriages are expected to
walk much Of the way. They are unable to
keep on the trot much more than half the time,
on journey. 1t is quite important therefore,
to buy horses that can walk fast.
Yet how many purchasers are there among
us who make any inquiry in regard to the fac.
ulty of walking? Fast trotters or racers are
anxiously looked for and very high prices are
paid for racers, lin modern phrase trotters.) If
purchasers would be in the practice of inquirng
into the walking powers of horses the breeders
would learn better and keep better sires.
We find the best teamsters unwilling to let
their horses trot, even when on descending
ground, where the draft is easy. They contend
for fast walking, and say that it Injuries their
fast walkers to let them trot down hill. Walk
ing is what they want in team horses, whether
they are going up or down hill,
STREET ScRAPINGs FOR MANuRE.-Not the
least important source of manure is the road
side Nearly all the highways in the country
are "worked" annually in the following way:
Several turrows are run on each side Of the
wagon-track, and then the dirt is scraped or
shoveled into the middle of the road, and round
ed over so as to shed water. That this ordina-
ri!y makes good road, we would not venture
to affirm. But we are very sure that this dirt,
often plowed up and thrown back upon the
track, is quite rich, especially on roads that are
much travelled, and would make good dress
ing for anybody's farm or garden. 1t contains
the washings of the road ON the droppngs of
horses and cattle which have been deposited
during the year, and mixed with the soil. The
turf which is also plowed up, is quite valuable
in the composing yard. Possibly the road
commissioners would object to having the soil
carried off they have legal right TO object
But if the farmers should agree to return a load