Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-11-14
THE FARM,

scratches on horses, and he gives the
following directions, probably valuable,
as carrot has an excellent effect on
many unhealthy sores. Wash the sores
thoroughly with warm soft water and
CASTLE soap, then rinse them off with
clear water, after which rub dry with 81
cloth. Now CRATE some carrots (about
a pint after grated and bind them on
the sores, The best way to bind it on
is to take cloth and wrap it around
the sores, letting the lower edge come
close down to the hOOf; then tie cord
around this lower end, after which put
the grated carrot into the opening at
the top of the cloth, press it down
around the sores. then tie another cord
around the top of the cloth, 4 little
above the fetlock. This should be re-
peated every day for four or five DAYS,
when the scratches Will be cured.
MANAGEMENT OF ROTTEN POTATOES.
The subject Of rotton potatoes elected
the following discussion at the Elmira
state fair: R. S. Georgia: My potatoes
| find are very much affected by soft
rot. What course shall I adopt to save
the rest? 1t will be necessary to sort
them in pits. VIII it be better to dig
the potatoes soon or allow them to
remain longer until the rot is over? I
used buckwheat chaff as a covering last
year and it did well. Can | do better
this year? President Hoffman: When
| our potatoes rotted badly a few years
ago | thought the best course was to
let them stay in the ground until the
worst was over, then try to save what
was left That is the best way now l
believe. When they are affected they
will go, in or out of the ground, so it is
not worth while to eXpend labor upon
them until the mischief is over. Chaff
IS as good a covering as can be used.
With liberal coating of that. but lit
the earth will be needed. John Bridg-
man: 1t seems that rot is often occa-
stoned by frequent warm rains in the
fall. If such is the case / think it best
to dig the potatoes and dry them well.
L believe L have saved potatoes by early
digging that would have been lost if I
had suffered them to remain in the
ground. A. III. Griffin: have dug mine
and placed them on the barn floor
where they seem to be doing Well My
plan for burying is to dig a pit large
enough to hold about twenty bushels,
and over the top place boards with a
hole left in the middle to serve as a
ventilator and to provide escape for
moisture. [ cover with sufficient earth
to keep frost out, and in the hole when
1 cold weather comes | insert bundle of
straw. o. Banfield: A few years ago |
tried the plan of leaving potatoes in the
ground to finish rotting. l had dug a
portion of the field and the crop saved
with some loss; but those that were left
gave me no further trouble. I did not
have to dig them, for they all rotted
JUDGING DRAFT HORSES. We deem
this good time to enter a protest
against the prevailing custom of judg-
ing draft horses III the showing mainly
with reference to weight, as one would
judge group of fat oxen prepared for
the butchers block. In the latter case.
the quantity and quality of the meat
are the primary considerations; but we
fail to see why such test should be
applied to the former. We don't eat
horse flesh In this country, consequently
more weight of carcass is of no value
except as it gives greater ability to
draw heavy load; and if this weight be
made simply of an accumulation of
adipose tissue (faD, it is a posi-
tive cumbrance rather than help,
and should be Judged accordingly.
There can be no question that size is an
important feature in draft horse; but
to be of value, the desired weight must
be made up Of other tissues than fat.
Bone and muscle must form an import
ant part in making up this weight; and
even mere we cannot depend upon the
tape lines nor the scales to make an
award. The quality of each is vital
consideration. If the indications are
that the bony tissue is of a soft, spongy,
porous nature; if the joints are gummy
and defective, or the muscles flabby and
i'll placed; the hoofs, flat and brittle or
too much contracted; or if the DISPOSE
ton be sluggish and dull, like that of
an OK, no amount of mere weight should
be permitted to atone for such serious
defects. A good draft horse must pos
sess strong vital organs, which fact is
usually indicated by the form and rela-
tive size of the trunk. His joints and
legs must be strong and perfect, free
from curbs and spavins, the skin lying
close ana firm to hard and elastic cords,
with an entire absence Of "beef" upon
those parts. The feet should be large,
neither flat nor mule-shaped, the horn
hard and elastic, but not brittle. The
bottom Of the foot should be examined
to see that it possesses the desired con-
cave appearance, and that the frog does
its work perfectly, because it is in the
feet that our heavy draft horses are
most VIGOROUSLY defective. As we haye
said i'll former number of the Journal
The principal requisite Of good draft
horse is, good size, made up without a
superabundance of fat; but to this must
be added docility, soundness. and en-
durance. Given all the valuable quail
ties above described, in perfection, and
/ then the more of action and style he
! possesses the better. He may be near
! iy perfect in all respects, and yet be too
small to be classed as a first-class draft
horse. On the other hand, he may
weigh ton, but if the weight be made
/ up mainly Of fat, or if he be ill-temper-
! ed, unsound of lacking in endurance,
his value is materially lessened. He
may possess all the points above enum-
Grated and yet be so deficient in ener-
gy and so heavy and sluggish in his
movements as to come far short of a
perfect draft horse. When called upon
to act as judge in this class, the intel
lgent horseman will give due promi-
hence to all these points, and will not be
deceived by mere measurement or
weight; the true test being the compar-
alive adoption of the animals to per
form the work which pertains to the
class in which they are shown.-Liue