Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-04-17
Stock Raising.

Stock Raising.
TIL ere is really something OF barbarism
in our treatment of cows, pigs ana horses.
That the Goth OF Hun should-in the
maddle ages, before the laws of nutrition
and digestion were understood, before 1t
was known how the food was converted
into chyle and the chyle into blood, flesh
and bone-have fed his COW nubbins ana
his pig and horse whole ears of corn, we
can comprehend. But that this relic OF
barbarism should cling to us in this day OF
enlightenment, in this day when 1t IS
known how important the preservation OF
the molars and incisors is to the prolonga-
ton of animal life; in this day, when we
have mills and little giants to do the grind
ing work, is past comprehension!
If we visited the Digger Indians and
found them in hospitable mood, we
would naturally expast to be RECALLED Win
q bouutiful repact of roots ana grassnop-
pers and of acorns, if n good mast year,
and the trees not too far off, for that be-
nighted people know not the virtues OF
johnny-cake and apple-dumplings so
the horse returning from his work tired
and hungry finds in his trough ten ears OF
corn, which he eats as the Digger Indian
does his roots and grasshoppers, because
he knows no better and has nothing else
to eat. Just here let me ask, by the way
of parathesis, why is it that the grooms
and stockmen invariably give ten ears of
corn to horse without reference to size,
size of the ears of corn ? In their opinion,
ten is the magic number, the unknown
quantity and the quantt1n suUtcit for
dray horse or Indian pony. The Arab,
semi-barbarian that he his, understands
better how to treat that noble animal-the
horse. He feeds him from his own table,
and on the Journey divides with him his
scanty allowance of bread. He invariably
treats him kindlyand humanelyas afavored
seryitor and almost equal. The horses teeth
~ in D1agtipatinU his
food, and the stomach is not overloaded
with unprepared food. The Arab does
this, not so much through the head a;
through the heart, for he loves his horse
almost as much as he does his chldren
This noble animal responds to this low
with generous devotion. At the door o
the Arabs tent, the horse is chez hi. There
is no halter or chain for his proud neck
he is more securely bound with the ten
der ties Of affection; The SPRAYING ehii "a
carefully plants his feet as he walks among
them. No ten ears of corn or ungroun'
barley for him! The children divide
with him their daintiest bits. Mounte'
oftentimes without saddle or bride ant
guided with motion of the hand an
that sympathy which exists betwee
horse and rider, he vies with the ostric
in speed and is fieeter than the wind. o
the war path, "his neck clothed in thur
der, he snuffs the battle from affair, an
of kind and judicious treatmer
have added to his longevity an
he has been known to reach, If not n
three score years and ten, at least his Ia
century Generations of kindly cultul
and nature have made him what he Il
that type of beauty, the high mettle
charger full of nervous vitality and gem
rous enthusiasm, in short, the proud PR
ge,lttor of the English courser!
do not propose to establish culinaT
- - -NnN.l ns In in
probable the Insurance companies woul
object to that arrangement, and besides b'
ing true American, l stop to count III
cost. Some humane people do give the
cows hay tea and say that they take to
kindly. | have no doubt they relish it
much as two old maids do their tea an
gossip. have never tried il as my coo
strangely object to being pressed into Il
service of the stables-saying with una
countable perversity that she conside
ings and not for pigs, COWS and horses
and to hint very unreasonably,
thought, that if required to {
extra work she must have extra pa
Testing apart, do not think 10 Will pa
to hire and board cook of the stables, q
though your cows may take tea as willin
~ as Madam Ting-SiDg of Pekin, or yo
horse eat his oatmeal cake with Il
relish of g hungry Scotchman. do O
casionally, when find the cook in goo
humor, give my favorite horse a has
pudding composed of cornmeal, oatme
and tablespoon full of salt scalded wi
gallon or two of hot water
AS to the pig, ] need not say much ,as q
idea, after two or three centuries of stru
gle, Is beginning to dawn in the agricu
tural mind that the pig must have its slo
And there is reason To hope that after oil
or two generations more-nOt of pigs b
of men-he will get his rights Yol
cows, Of course, unless you are al anted
luyian and a Waeteful sDendth rift YOU fet