River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-10-18
Farm, House and Garden


4
There are very many horses which
are made to suffer unnecessarily, or for a
prolonged period, through the want of
knowledge or neglect of the owner
During the work season what numbers OF
farm horses do we see with CALLED shout
ders, which keep getting worse till the
bad condition of the collar and saddle
gals makes it necessary to stop work I'M
til they heal. If ahorse has proper care
no gals will be made by the collar aud
saddle. The horse must be well and reg
ularly cleaned each day, and the careful
farm hand will give an extra rubbing
off at noon and night. Before commenc-
ing work, the harness and collar should
be made to fit properly; lift is found that
the animal shows signs of becoming gall
ed, battle the affected parts two or three
times day, but not while the animal is
bot from work. And right here we would
say that we have found that bathing the
shoulders of work horses with water dur
ing the season of hard work, hardens the
skin, and prevents any liability to become
CALLED or chafed. Prevention is always
preferable to cure. A CALLED back, on
account of the saddle being more apt to
chafe, is more difficult to remedy, espec
tally in driving horses. When a driving
horse gets sore back under the carriage
saddle, do not pad it heavily with rags,
loosen up the belly bands, etc, expecting
a cure in that way, as some do, but dis
card the use of the saddle entirely till
the animal il entirely well, which can be
readily done by taking off the saddle,
bringing the back strap up to the top of
the harness, where it is fastened. For
'tugs" or straps to hold up the shafts, use
small straps with loops in them for the
ends of the shafts, fastening the opposite
ends of the straps, use a surcingle for
belly-band to keep the shafts from slid
ing NJ, and you have your rig complete.
Wash the affected parts Of the horse well
every morning with soft sponge and
good CASTLE soap, after which apply
mixture of suet, fresh lard, and flower of
sulphur uutil the sore heals. If the ami
mails blood is impure-which is readily
seen by the condition or appearance of
the sores-giye a tablespoonful of the
fiowe. 'ulphur-about two or three
doses in many different days-in cut
mess, taking care to prevent the horse
from taking cold by driving fast and
then neSlecting to cover, for the sulphur
effects publication of the blood through
the pores of the SKIN.
For bruises and sprains on horses, the
best and simplest remedy we have
found is crude oil, just as it came from
the we'll with small quantity of oil of
spike mixed with it. Vigorous rubbing
should accompany the application.
In regard to blistering and bleeding,
we must enter a protest, for we have
never yet found necessity for doing
either, and have seen evil results follow
both practices. There may be necessity
for both, though we have never found it
with our horse stock.
fake Care of the Tools.
We cannot too strongly urge the neces-
sity OF proper care of farm implements.
This care especially consists in housing,
painting, repairing, in return for which
we have tools which are better, that will
wear longer, and that will be less liable
to break, as we'll as vastly more conven-
lent to use, the total result of which is
economy"
Every farmer should make it a rule to
keep his tools under cover when not in
use. There are always corners enough in
the barn, where hoes, shovels, plows and
harrows can be stored away at any time
without being in the way. At tritiing
expense shed San be built, in which may
be kept the wagons, carts, moving ma
chimes, etc; it will take no longer to run
them under the building than to leave
them in the tield.
Furthermore, every farmer should see
that his tools arc kept in good order.
When any part Of an implement gets out
of place or is broken the adjoining parts
sustain greater wear, and in a short time
get beyond repairing. Nuts, bolts and
screws become loose, admitting dust and
gravel, and causing unnecessary friction,
which is more wearing than natural work
As soon as any part becomes weak 1t
should be repaired at once.
We once knew thrifty farmer who
made it rule to repair everything before
1t was broken. and presume that he was
thereby saved many vexatious delays.
Another important matter not to be over
looked is the use of paint, that costs but
little, will exclude the moisture to GER
tain extent, and prevent decay.
|. Proper care and neat look will insure
better tools and better handling, since
every one prefers to use an implement
that is bright and polished to one that is
rusty and weather-beaten, and in the mat
ter of service the one will last until liter
ally worn out, while the other is liable TO
give out when least expected.
1t has been stated that implements are
not made of so good material as formerly,
and that many of them are too light for
hard service, but we believe these, especi-
ally the former, to be mistaken ideas.
The material is of small consequence
compared with the treatment the tools
receive. 1t is true that good steel and
good woodwork tare better than poor,
but rust and decay will soon destroy
either. Many of the best and toughest
varieties of timber, if exposed to the
weather, will decay quite as soon as the
poorest.
VINE are the Farmers Friends.
Who but geology, chemistry, the quar-
| nv of the air, the water of the brook, the
Lightning of the cloud, the plough of the