The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-02-25
Horses Teeth.

teeth, Wnen many OlheI cauST9 "io
blamed and the real one not suspect
ed. Teeth are as important in the
brute, as in the human family. Ihey
are natures millstones for preparing
food for the stomach, and unless they
are in sound working order, they VIII
imperfectly prepare solid 1oOd Tor
the operation of the gastric pieces;
causing indigestion, aud collie, and
con sequently impaired vitality.
Unlike children, colts suffer Httle u
any pain. from the growth of their
first, O, colt teeth, but the cutting OF
their permanent teeth is critical pc
riod in their life. The trouble begins
when they are between two or three
wears old and continues till dentition
is complete; but is worst between four
and five years, and that is the time
when most dental changes occur. The
careful horseman who handles young
stock will regularly, eXamine the colts
teeth and quickly detect any failure
in natures effort to remove the use
less, or supply the he dful nipper or
molar. Sometimes temporary tooth
Will cling TO the jaw and impede the
outward growth of the permanent
one, to such an extent as to give great
pain. and prevent the eating OF food.
When the horse takes to SOLDERING or
frOthing at the mouth, bolts his food
or quids his hay, and turns his head
on either side while eating or drink
log, it is safe to infer that there is
81 netting amiss with his teeth and
an application Of pincers or knife will
often give prompt relief.
HORSE OFF HIS FEED.
Loss Of appetite may be caused by
overwork or too little exercise, fault
with his food or faulty general man
agement. When refusal to eat is due
to continual Overfeeding, short rations
for day or two is all that is required.
Food that is not eaten in reasonable
time should be promptly removed
from the manger and the next feed
corresp ondingly reduced. Give an
animal no more than 1t will eat up
clean. 1t often happens that the food
is refused for no apparent reason, the
animal at the Same time becoming
thin and weak. In such cases "c1n-
dimentaln foods are useful, not because
of any superior nutritive value, but
because they rouse the appetite. The
following formula Is recommended for |
the greater number of cases: Ground |
or crushed oats and corn meal, of
each five pounds, oil meal One-fourth |
of pound, common table
salt two ounces. If the animal seems
to need tonic or Is troubled with in
festival worms, with each ration as
above given add desert spoonful of
powdered gentian and teaspoonful
of dried sulphate Of iron. If the ami
NAL then refuses the ration little
starvation is all that is required to
cause him to take it, the dislike ceas-
ing as soon as the animal has once
been persuaded to partake of the mix
ture
TICKS.
One of the greatest annOyances the
cattleman has to face in Texas is the
ubiquitous and blood thirsty tick. But
for the voracious appetite of the tick
cattle might fatten on our native
grasses as rapidly as they do when
STALL fed in northern attitudes.
The vermin are continual drain
on the life blood of the animal, keep
ing up irritation and hindering the
formation of flesh. But this is not the
worst reputation they have acquired.
They are now being charged with be-
ing the cause of so-called Texas fever.
| say cause, because DR.. Salmon
declares that he has completed II long
and carefully devised experiment and
discovered thatticks, bred on perfectly
healthy Texas cattle, will cause cattle
in other states to die from splenic
fever. The tick had enough to
answer for without this last indict-
ment, and ought to be convicted by
even a Travis county jury.
The invention of some practical
method of preventing the growth of
ticks, or their speedy removal from
the bodies of infested animals, would
do more for the agricultural prosperity
of the South than the construction of
q dozen different kinds of cotton pick
ing machines, though each of them
was perfect success. Many plans
have been suggested and tried but
none found capable of general appli-
cation. 1t is claimed that sulphur in
drinking water will cause ticks to
"qdit their holdn; but some who have
tried it, affirm that the amount of sui
phur needed to produce the desired
effect is so large, and so costly, as to
be impracticable.
Where only gentle cattle are affect
ed, ticks can be quickly, cheaply and
effectually removed by the use of the
great "cure alp kerosede. There is
no excuse for the presence of ticks on
the family cow or horse. Whenever
the pest shows itself on the animal,
the application ola wash composed of
water and kerosene in equal quanti-
ties, by means of a brush or
swab, will clear the vermin off
without injury to the skin or hair.
This is as safe for horses as for cattle.
FRUIT PROSPECTS.
The outlook for fruit has not been
50 favorable for many years. The
failures of the past two years have
given trees rest and the past season
has been favorable for the develop
ment of fruit buds and cool enough to
prevent early blossomiDg. The only
obstacle in the way of Texas becom-
ing the leading fruit growing state, is
the early blooming of our trees, and
occasional late frosts. Mild, growing
weather in January and February,
causes a premature swelling of buds
r..