Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-04-16
FARM Ann HOUSEHOLD.


horses. or the twenty-four Percherons
imported, thirteen are mares and eleven
stations. All Of the animals are from
the department de TOrne. where the
Percheron breed is the purcst. Only
one or two Of the collection Is more than
four years old, almost all of them being.
very young. They are all gray in color,
of various shades, and fine examples of
their race, large of size, strong of limb
aud stylish of carriage, and their clean
cut heads and fiDe bone show the Ara
bian blood which flows in their veins.
One of the stations is a yeariing, already
Is hands high, while one, called. very
properly, Goliah, is three years old, and
stands l7]f hands high. The mares are
from two to elk years old, and from l6
to 1917 hands high. One Of them has been
bred.
The Percheron horse is the cross Of a
Norman and an Arabian. When Napo-
leon was laying out post routes across
France, he looked about for horses
which, while strong enough to pull the
heavy mail coaches, would be light
enough to travel rapidly. 1t was de-
cidei to breed Arabian stations to Nor
man mares, and the stock farms for rails
ing the government draught horses were
placed in the little district of LIE Perche.
Horses bred on those farms were there
fore called Percherons. A pure-bred
Percheron has the small head and ears
of his original Arabian father, with the
size and strength of his Norman mother.
His legs, when seen from behind or in
front, look very thin. From the side,
however, they are very broad, the bones
of the leg being placed directly in line,
thus making the leg fat instead Of
round. A pure bred Percheron is al
ways black when foaled. but becomes
gray when about three years old. A
black Percheron is considered not to be
of pure blood.
The adaptation of Percheron horses to
draught purposes here, and especially
to farm work, is admitted wherever they
have been tried. When Mr. Walters be-
gan to import them into this country
none of the draught horses of Baltimore
had any cross of Percheron bloO1. Now
more than One-third of them in and
around the city have more or less Per-
cheron blood in their veins. The Per-
cherOn has quick action, a hardy con-
stitution, aud is easily kept, while his
hoofs do not split upon American pave
ments as do those of other imported
horses. In France the get Of a blooded
stallion and Percheron mare is the
fashionable carriage horse, and the same
horse, under the name of French car
rage horse" has recently found favor
in this country.
The two Napoleons took great inter-
est in maintaining the breed of French
horses, aud the government stations,
after wintering in LIE Perche, which
was considered the district best adapted
TO horse breeding, were sent through
the country during the summer months
and bred to the best mares. Premiums
were also given to the owners of good
stations, and Sultan, now owned by
Dir. Walters, brought his French owner
small but steady income from the gov
eminent. The government stud sta
bles are still maintained, the principal
stables being at Pin, formerly one of the
hunting castles of Louis XVI.
KICKING COws-CURE THEA.-Cows
will kick-some Of them; and heifers
with their first calves are experts at it.
An unhandled, "ungentled" COW, takes
as naturally to kicking, as 'Leghorn hens
do to scratching. The calf should be
placed on the cows left side, and en-
couraged to suck, but whether il does so
or not, let the mixer at once begin to
milk. Saving the milk is Of no impor-
lance, so, If the heifer is nervous, keep
the pail away, and milk on the ground.
If she kicks, sooth her, and begin again.
Do not let her think her kicking
has any effect. A rail may be placed
so that Kicking may be a disagreeable
performance, and sometimes COW may
be placed close to rail fence, which
defends the mixer from the blows Of u
really vicious kicker, and the milking
still goo The COW will ordinarily Weld
to circumstances, and stand still after
while: at least, the pressure of the milk
in the udder, which may cause iniam-
nation, can thus be relieved. If the
COW continues nervous, and will not be
pacified, the thing to do is to tie or strap
her legs. This may be done with a
light rope like BEDFORD. 1t is passed
once around the left leg below the hook,
tied by "half-hitch" (half knott,
then twisted few times, and another
hitch turned in il, and finally passed
around the right leg. aud tied in bow
knot, SO that IL can be quickly united. A
COW so tied cannot kick, tut she is al
most sure TO take short steps backward,
and when she gets TO the end Of her tie
strap, or back as far as she can 60 in the
stanchiOns, her hind legs may be strain
ed far back, and as her position is very
unsteady one, she may fall down.. To
prevent this, rope may be passed
twice around the tie-rope carried for
ward, and fastened TO the manger. This
will prevent the backing. aud the COW
will propably soon give up, and sta nd
quietly.
A sick farmer, having an obstinate
COW which he desired TO get TO market,
called consultation Of his friends and
81 n Il