Morris tribune., 1882-10-19

only fertilizer used IL barn-yard manure.
At the end of about five years this land
is a bed of manure. The muck dilutes it
and keeps it in good condition, but the
manure is thoroughly mixed, and the
growing plant finds its food in abund-
ance in condition exactly adapted to
its wants. Having made examinations
from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi,
l have nowhere seen sue thorough cul-
tivation of the soil as in the gardens of
the Onondaga Valley. After quarter
of century's observation, which should
teach me better, cannot get rid of the
idea that these men use too much ma
nure. They often make me think of
what Willis Gaylord used to say: with
manure | can do everything; without it,
nothing"
Barefooted Horses and Bad Shooting.
Iowned mare for fourteen years
which was never shod. 1 used her for
breeding from a colt, and kept her with
out shoes because it was better for my
purposes, as she would not be SO liable
to injure her colts, and she was not
driven enough to require shoeing. This
mare was never lame or tender-footed,
put oiiO Shp 5IlIOUIu lCc, anu
once fell down in crossing pond, and
would have injured herself Gas she could
not gain foot-hold) if she had not been
held down until removed. She was got
ten off the ice by putting rope around
her body and hitching another horse to
it and sliding her several rods, broad
side, to the shore. Her feet were never
cut, and contained all the natural rim on
the bottom, which, it is claimed in state
of nature will hold horses up, keeping
them from slipping anywhere.
There Is vast difference in the wear
ing effect on horses feet of prairie land
where there is more or less grass to soft
en- the football and also an absence Of
gravel, and gravelly road. On suen
road horse might go on a walk, if not
driven too much, without wearing the
hoofs to the extent of becoming footsore,
but if driven on trot or galloped any
considerable amount, it would become
fOotsore. have known colts while rum
ming in the pastures in summer on gray
ely soil, by the natural wear of the feet
and in stamping on account of fies-to
wear the hoofs away so that they be-
| came decidedly tender-footed.
There is a great difference in horses
about stepping; some strike the feet very
hard on the ground and others step
lightly. The former would be sure to
get footscore without shoes, and with
them unless well shod, while the latter
might do very we'll barefooted, under
possible circumstances. There is also
a great difference in the shape of horses
feet; some are born fatfooted and be-
come crippled unless extra care is had
! in their shoeing; others have hoofs so
upright and hard that they will endure
neglect and keep their feet in sound
condition. A fatfooted horse usually
has soft hoof. which wears out rapidly.
1t is apparent from these facts that
general rule to de Drive horses of shoes
cannot be made always practicable.
A horse well shod, so that the outer
rim of the hoof rests fully on the shoe,
will always travel better than one poorly
sbod or one barefooted. The curse of
shoeing is the buttress-an instrument
which q blacksmith seems to delight in
using to cut down a horses heels, and
more horses are made teuder-tooted
from this abuse than all other causes.
Farmers are very apt to allow their horses
to wear their shoes so long that the outside
of the hoof grows over them, and they
grind the soft and tender portion of the
foot, producing corns; whereas the shoe
should always rest upon the rim outside.
This neglect is the worst kind o. economy,
as it often results in permanent injury to
valuable animals. Such shoeing is worse
than no shoes, but this abuse is not
conclusive argument against shoeing, but
should be conclusive against bad shoe
ing.