Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1878-11-23
FARM TOPICS.


answer il, "What makes horse trot?"
Well, it is not the whip-that is one
thing settled; and it is not your driv-
ing, friend, either, which makes your
horse trot-that IS settled. What is just
the right pull to make on horses
mouth to save him when he breaks?
When is the proper instant to move that
bit in his MOUTH What is the right way
10 handle horse TO get him through
the air second faster to the mile? 1t
may rs well be owned that the secret is
not open 20 every body. Only men with
the instinct TO see into the horses ma
ture ever learn it. This gift, with long
and patient observation, has enabled
the great drivers to "get the most out
of The famous trotters. My own prac-
tice is, without pretending to the knowl-
edge of professional trainers, 10 let the
horse a good deal alone. l presume
do not take the reins in both hands
once in three months, so far as need of
strength goes, when am driving on the
road. OF course there are some horses
that we must make trot if they ever trot
at all; | for one do not desire to have
any thing to do with that sort Of horses.
But give me horse that is natural
trotter, and | am sure he will never go
except in q trot, unless by reason
of some pain in his foot or
somewhere else, that may cause him to
break. In that case the best way is to
let him alone. j am driving a 5-year-
old colt that is fast. II he breaks, let
him run. After he has been running
six or eight rods, hint to him that it is
Just as fashionable for him to strike his
trot, and, if ne does not take that hint,
in a little while, l give him another.
But | don't vank him, or jerk him,
"pull him back" settle him down."
"sguare him." as they say, and all
those other excellent phrases that do
not mean any thing. The colt means
TO trot, and know it, and if for some
unaccountable cause he breaks, know
the habit naturally implanted in him
will get him back to his trot just as
quick as he can. A horse can not run
awhile and catch himself suddenly,
without hurting himself; so he will take
another jump or two. When he has
jumped two or three times, l give lit
tie touch to the reins, suggesting to
him that he may as well trot. He gem
orally knows what l mean, but if he
don't tell him again, and pretty soon
find him going along with his tail as
straight as a spirit-level. never, on
such horse, use a check-rein, never
put on martingales, but let him 60, head
up and tail streaming. These are the
rudders intended to keep the horse true
in his gait, and You have no right to de-
prive him of his steering apparatus.
And so the rule is, that the horse, if he
is a sensible, level headed horse, knows
a great deal more than you do about
trotting, and you should let him have
his own way. That is my best advice,
briefly put, in regard to driving.-Par.
son Murray, ia The Golden Rule.
FIREwooD AND ITS PREPARATION.
The great majority of the farmers
or gardeners labor is done with refer
ence TO future results; he plants and
sows that he may harvest in good time.
II is well, therefore, for us to take q
look ahead and in time plan for all an.
ticipated needs. Among the first things
TO be considered during the winter. is to
provide for a supply of fuel sufficien,
for the years need. Few things add
more TO the pleasure of the good house
wife than TO look into capacious, con.
veniently constructed and located wood.
shed, and see it amply stored with good
dry fuel. Every considerable farmer,
therefore, who has on his own land 8
supply of fuel, will keep stock of il
prepared for the fire, and he who has il
TO buy, finds it economy in keeping q
stock of dry fuel ahead, for experiment,
has demonstrated that one pound of dry
wood will heat IS pounds Of water from
50 degrees TO 2l2 degrees, while one
pound of green wood will heat only rs
pounds. Not only is the green wood
more costly in dollars and cents, but
also in the mstter of happiness and do
nestle felicity. As soon rs the fall