Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-02-19
FARM AND FIRESIDE.

l
the light; if they are in any way defective,
reject
| 3 Examine the teeth to determine the
| age.
8. Examine the poll OF crown of the
head. and the withers, or top of the Shout
ders, as the former is the seat of poll-evil,
and the latter thatRof fistula.
T.. Examine the front feet, and if the
frog has fallen or settled down between
the heels Of the shoe and the heels are
contracted, reject him; DIS he, if not, al
| ready lame, is liable to become so at any
moment. Next, observe the knees and
ankles Of the horse you desire to purchase,
and if corked you may be sure it is the re-
suit Of the displacement of the internal
organs Of the foot, a consequence of the
form of the foot and injudicious sfoeing.
5. Examine for interfering from the an
kle to the knee, and if it proves that he
cuts the knee, OF the leg between the knee
and ankle, OF the latter badly, reject.
Speedy cuts Of the knee and leg are most
serious in their effects. Many trotting
horses which would be of great value were
it not for this single defect, are by it rem
'dered .valueleSS.
s. Carefully examine the hoofs for cracks,
as jockeys have acquired great skill in con-
cealing cracks in the hoof If cracks are
observable in any degree, reject Also,
both look and feel for ringbones, which
are ca2losltles on the bones of the pastern
near the foot; if apparent, reject.
7. Examine the hind feet for the same
defects OF the foot and ankle that we have
named in connection with the front foot
Then proceed to the hook, which is the
seat of the curb and both bone and blood
spayins. The form is bony enlargement
of the posterior and lower portion of the
hook joint; the second bony excrescence
on the lower, inner and rather interior
portion of the hook, and the latter is soft
enlargement of The synovial membrane on
the inner and upper portion of the back.
They are either of them sufficient reason
for rejecting.
s. See that the horse stands with the
front feet well under him, and observe
both the heels Of the feet and the shoes to
see if he FORCES or overreaches, and in case
he does, and the toes of the front feet are
low, and the heels high, and the heels of
the front shoes a gbod thickness, and the
toes of the hind feet are of no proper
length, reject him; for if he still over
reaches with his feet in the condition de-
scribed, he is incurable. If he props out
both front feet, or points them alternately,
reject.
9. III testing the driving qualities, take
the reins while on the ground, invite the
owner to get in hevehicle first, then drive
yourself. Avoid the display or the use of
the whip, and ii he has not spirit to ex-
hibit his best speed without, it will then be i
proper to test his amiability and the extent
of his training in the use of the whip,
thoroughly testing his walking qualities
first, as that gait is more important in the
horse of all work than great trotting
speed. The value of a horse, safe for all
purposes without blinds, is greatly en-
HANGED thereby.
10. Always purchase of the breeder of
the horse, if practicable; the reasons are
obvious. -lNaTyland Farmer.
How DO YOU MEASURE WooD2-A sin
gular and interesting case is being tried
here before Justice Ming. 1t appears that
q Wood-cutter took q contract to cut and
deliver a certain amount Of wood to the
coal kllns OF the blast furnace situated
here. The contractor delivered the wood
in proper shape, but in measuring it dis
pute arose between the company's agent
and the contractor, the contractor claim
ing that the agent did not measure it ac-
curately. Upon presenting his bill to the
company, it refused to pay him for any
more than what the agent had made it by
his measurement. Law was resorted to,
competent judges, among whom were en-
gineers, were employed to inspect and re-
measure it; but they differed in regard to
to the amount to something like one hun
bred cords. In measuring the length,
some did SO from one-third of the distance
from where the chamfer begins to the tip
end.of' the stick to the same distance on
the other end. While others measured from
one-half of the length Of the chamfer. and
others from the tip of one end of the stick
to where the CHAMBER begins on the other
end. In the pile there are IN the neighbor-
hood of $50 cords. By computation it will
be found that one inch of the end of the
wood will amount. in the number of cords
given above, TO nearly twenty. Now it is
evident that the three methods used will
vary quite materially as to the length Of
the wood. and greatly as to the number of
cords; but which is correct?-Appleton
Correspondence Ni1,uaakee Sentinel
How TO SHIP PoULTRY.-Seeurep plump
well fatted birds. Bleed them in the
throat. Scald enough to make the feath-
ers come off easily; pick both feathers and
pin feathers all off nicely, taking great
care not to bruise or break the skin in any
way. If one or two of the lot should ac-
cldentally get bruised, OF have the skin
Broken, sell or use at home, as they would
hurt the sale of the whole lot. Leave all
The entrails in, and heads and feet on.
BONE MILLs.-Let individuals. either
singly or collectedly, erect bone mills and
manufacture their own bone-dust. If this
is not practical or possible to all, the bones
can be sledged up by hand-power and dis
solved with vitroil. Some of the best farms
in the North have been enriched by the lat
ter process. The first plan is practicable
and advisable for a number of farmers Or
ganized, as the Changers now are