Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-10-29
VOL. LIV. NEW SERIES
AGRICULTURAL.
SAND CRACK IN HORSES FEET.

DIR. Edward Moore, NJ H. I. '. -
writes as follows in the CultiratOr.
Sand crack consists in fissure OF
greater or less extent in any part of the
foot, usually found on the inner quarters
of the fore and down the centre of toes
behind 1t begins at the coronet (at un-
ion of skin and hoof) and extends down.
wards, in some cases only short dis
tance in others from hair to shoe, and in
bad cases it gapes open quite consider
ably at every step as the weight descends
upon the foot, and bleeds thus by pinch
ing and iniaming the sensitive structures
within, causing more or less lameness.
1t occurs on the inner quarters of the fore
feet, generally in light horses here the
horn is thinner than at the toe, ard this
portion of the foot is more under the cen
tire of gravity than the outer quarter. In
heavy horses the majority of sand cracks
are found in the hind feet and at the toe,
owing to the fact that this part sustains
greater strain. Some horses are predis-
posed to cracked or tissured hoofs by
their being possessed of brittle charac-
ter of horn. Horn once divided never
unites hence the absurdity of the ordin-
ary horse doctors and farriers' treatment
that of sealing up the tissure with ros-
in, and a heated iron, or clnchlng 1t
together with nail (rviting), or putting
on plates. Then We have another school
whose treatment consists in hoof ONT
ments. &c, as though the edge of horn
could be healed together. There is only
one successful method to my knowledge,
and that is sure if intelligently carried
out. viz. by cutting away the horn an
inch or SO width at the top and down to a
nd ha1
the cracks-in fact, cutting completely
out of the horn & letter V. We thus have
a wide space next the hair without horn
an inch below is the top of the crack now.
and it can't crack up for the horn Is gone.
Now the horn grows from the coronary
secreting substance above, and it wants
stiulating to excessive secretion in order
to grow new sheet of horn down rapidly, |
and thus make sound foot Hence we
shorten the toe as much as it will bear;
then put on shoe with n low heel and no
toe calks, and a clip on each side the crack
if it comes down to the shoe, and apply |
Moore Bros. golden blister to the coro-
net, and in three weeks We have solid |
foot and the animal can begin work. 1t |
will take from three to ten weeks for the |
crack to grow out Where it is deemed
wise to let an animal rest four or five
weeks, he can be blistered, twice thus
doubly increasing the growth and not
only does this blister stimulate growth,
but it produces healthy scretion of a
tougher consistence There are a number
of animals in Albany at this time under
the above treatment. and others can be
seen which now have sound feet, with no
vestage of former assures, that were pre-
viouslv lame or 1lnsloltly
ABOUT SHEEP.
At least few sheep should be kept on
every farm. No kind Of stock is more
profitable. In starting a flock, few
superior animals should be chosen instead
of double the number of inferior ones.
The increased value of flock range from
good sheep, will greatly exceed the
increased cost of a few good ones TO start
with, over what inferior ones would have
cost. Start with good sheep and keep
them good or make them better, by gen
erous keeping Ii one intends to half
starve his sheep he might us well begin
with hnlf-starved ones, as they would be
more likely to "hold their own than
those used to better keeping. Sheep
keeping, however, is not profitable when
the starving process is adopted, and we
would not recommend it to farmers who
practice any such methods. When good
sheep are purchased to start with and are
well kept, sheep-keeping is profitable,
beneficial to the farm, and is to be com
mended. d.-LeUiston Journal.
Those who can afford to raise sheep
can better afford to do it properly
than to continue on the old way of using
scrub rams upon the same kind of ewes.
Such breeding is almost as bad as no
breeoing NJ ali, ~. .iietoaa - yearly III
proving and approaching purity OF blood
the flock annually becomes weaker and OF
less value to the owner. Many there are
who imagine that pure bred sheep OF any
strain are very expensive and only fit for
fancy farming and men who have plenty
of surplus capital to invest IL fine stock.
Then again there are some who are Just
foolish enough to think it requires more
attention. more care generally and
more money to keep up flock of pure
bred animals after it is once started, than
to raise the common scrub sheep. This
is most certainly wonderful mistake.
Pure bred or high grade animals of any
kind will yield greater profits and thrive
better on the same or less amount OF
lot Of scrub stock receives. Or, grant
that grade purely bred sheep are more
expensive than the others, is not the diff
ference in the yield of wool and the quail
ity of the mutton great enough III favor
of the grade to more than doubly pay the
difference in the cost of production?
nalsof very ordinary means can, IN II few
years, have flock Of sheep equal to the
best, if he uses ordinary good judgment
in his selection Of ewes for breeding, and
constantly keeps at the head of his fold u
thoroughbred male. Secure few good
common ewes at first and buy pure bred
ram every year or two to couple with the
best ewes in the flock, and fatten for mar
ket the inferior ones. Thus, by using .
none but the thoroughbred rams, and Sc
lecting each year the best ewes III the
flock for reproduction, sheep-growing |
may be made more profitable. -Dror"rs /
Journal.