Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-11-22

strate that growing plants do exhale an
almost lmperceptible quantity of car
oonlc acid gas, which, in very small
portions, IS necessary in the air we
breathe. They also show that the ouan-
tlty eXhaled at night is but one-sixteenth
part OF what the same plants absorb
rom the atmosphere during the day,
and convert into nearly its own weight
OF oxygen, thus changing a poisonous
gas that derives its origin from various
sources, into one of the principal ele-
ments of pure air. If carbonic acid
gas IS emitted from plants in dangerous
quantities, it certainly would exist large
~ III the night atmosphere of a close
green house heated to tropical tenn
perature, and crowded from floor to
ratter with rank vegetation. Yet in our
experience we have never known the
slightest Ill effects to be realized from
night work in green houses, nor in cases
that have frequently occurred where
workmen have made the warm green
house their sleeping quarters of night,
and even for an entire winter. This
| affords practical proof that the notion
Is a fallacy and the fact that perhaps
no healthier class of men can be found
than green house operators, who work
constantly in the atmosphere where
plants are growing, would prove instead
that living plants exert a beneficial infiu
ence upon the air we breathe.
THE LEGS AND FEET OF HORSES. = 1t
Is wel[knOwn fact that horses will
work and stand sound for many years
with legs apparently much out of or
der. Engagements take place in the
sheath of tendons after strains also
from blows, where the parts become
lined with thick coat of lymph and
sometimes the body of the bone itself
is found thickened from deposition OF
bony lamina over the original bone.
When all this has been in progress we
question the propriety of any active
measures, unless, as is generally the
case feeling of soreness is expressed
after work by shifting or favoring OF
the limb or limbs in the stall, or by
" feeling" manner Of going on first
quitting the stable. When the legs are
really callous, little impression can be
made upon them, unless by active meas
ures but rest and proper attention are
the best preservatives of these most es-
sential members of the horses frame
with the friendly auXiliaries of hot
water, flannel bandages and feedom III
a box stall after severe work and good
shoeing at all times. Provided no in
ternal disease attack the feet, they viii
not only be as sound and healthy, bu
in better form, from having been prop
erly shod, than if they had not beer
shod at all. Some hoofs, however, hav
ing a greater disposition to secrete horn
than others, and thus called strong feet
should never remain more than three
weeks without being subjected to the
drawing knife of the blacksmith, and
the shoes properly replaced. Neither
should stopping with damp tow be omit
| ted, as moisture, not aUet, is beneficial tC
the health of the foot. Do what We
may, however, horses that are required
for work on hard roads, or to ego the
ject to diseased feet, quite unconnecteC
with shoeing. The action of the hinder
legs of horses reminds us of one usefu
hint to those who have to use theil
horses on long journeys. If we follow
a well-formed horse with the free ust
of his limbs, on a road upon which hi
footsteps are imprinted, we shall fine
the hinder foot oversteps the fore fee
in the walk, but falls behind if i'll thu
slow trot. Exclusive of relief to thu
muscles by change of action, then, it Is
safer to vary the pace from a walk to {
slow trot on journey, as causing les
fatigue to the hockjoint, by which
curbs and spavins are frequently thrown
out. Add to this, the slow trot is tho
safest pace a horse goes, because his stel
is shortest