The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-02-16
Horses and Mules Eating Dirt.

-
cisco.
Horses and Mules Eating Dirt.
A correspondent of the N. Y. Tribune,
asks why horses and mules eat dirt
when turned out of close stables, to
which Prof. Low replies:
Most commonly the habit is an indi-
cation of acidity of the stomach, and to
be corrected by improving the digestive
functions. Horses are at q special dis
advantage in the matter of stomach COM
plants, inasmuch as they cannot rid
themselves by vomiting of anything
that disagrees, and are unable even to
belch up accumulated gas. Then the
stomach is much too small to allow of
heavy feeding or the formation of much
gas without injurious overdistension;
hence, of all domestic animals the soil
peds should be fed with the graatest
care and Judgment. Like human beings,
they have their periods of acidity or
heartburn, and having no opportunity
of taking soda or magnesia, they lick
the lime from their walls or the earth
from their pathway. For temporary re-
lief q piece of chalk may be kept in the
manger. but we should seek to remove
the radical evil by giving better tone to
the stomach. Feed sound grain and
hay in moderate amount and at regular
intervals, and don't drive or work hard
for an hour after each meal, lest diges-
ton should be impaired.
Give few carrots, turnips, or other
roots, if available; water regularly, and
never Just after o meal, and put an
ounce of common salt in the food or wa
ter daily. Any existing weakness OF di-
gestion should be corrected by course
of tonics such as: oxide of iron, 2ounces;
calcined magnesia, 2 ounces; powdered
nux vomica, TX drains; powdered fen
mel seed, 2 ounces; mix, divide into .
powders, and give one morning and
night. The habit has been sometimes
caused by a deficiency of mineral mat
tiers in the food grown on very poor
soils, but this may be corrected by a
similar treatment. Neao Yorker.
PROFIT IN REARING FowLs.-I can
not furnish precise figures, but I am
sure there is a profit in keeping hens,
especially to those who give attention
to fruit raising, or even to farmers who
devote their land to grain. Fowls of
the more active breeds will pick up the
bugs and worms. which are the enemies
and destroyers of fruit and grain.
There is real profit in this, leaving the
eggs entirely out of the account. It is
urged as an objection to keeping fowls,
that they destroy fruit and gardens and
grain. Feed them we'll and there will
be no trouble. They can be turned in
to the garden without material damage.
They will not touch the cabbage nor
scratch out hills of corn unless there is
feast of worms in the ground, and in
that case it is better to lose what is
planted by the hens than by the worms.
I would not recommend the larger
breeds for general purposes, for they
are not active enough. Fowls of medi-
UNI size usually make better foragers.
and are, therefore, better for the farm
ers who have fields over which their
search for farm pests should be extend
ed. We believe it is we'll to protect
birds because they destroy so many in
sects injurious to fruit and grain. The
same argument applies to our common
fowls with the advantage of the eggs,
which repay all the cost. With due
care in the management there is profit
in keeping hens. Among all the kinds
I have tried, my preference has been
for common fowls, until lately find the
black Leghorns better. Hens of this
breed are almost perpetual layers, and
without disposition to set. have
never kept exact account of cost, but |
have no doubt they more than repay all
cost.-Cor. N. Y. Herald.
TAR ON FRUIT TREES. to
the experience of Mr.. Henry Reynolds,
of North Carolina, tar is perfect RENE
dy for SCARED and sun cracked apple
trees. He says that by coating with
new tar the trunk of q favorite fruit
bearer that was cracked and SO decayed
that the bark was dead and would
peel off, he has restored it fully. He
applies it to oil the branches that show
signs of decay. Since practicing this
cheap remedy, he has not been troubled
with insects. By applying tar to the
trunk, and clearing away the surface at
the roots so as to let it run down on