File:The book of the farm - detailing the labors of the farmer, steward, plowman, hedger, cattle-man, shepherd, field-worker, and dairymaid (1851) (20389461272).jpg

Title: The book of the farm : detailing the labors of the farmer, steward, plowman, hedger, cattle-man, shepherd, field-worker, and dairymaid
Identifier: bookoffarmdetail01step (find matches)
Year: 1851 (1850s)
Authors: Stephens, Henry, 1795-1874; Skinner, John S. (John Stuart), 1788-1851; Dumas, J. -B. (Jean-Baptiste), 1800-1884. Manures, ameliorators and stimulants
Subjects: Agriculture
Publisher: New York : C. M. Saxton
Contributing Library: NCSU Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: NCSU Libraries

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Text Appearing Before Image:
562 THE BOOK OF THE FARM WINTER. Dobbin, seem verj- pood names ; for maree, Peg, Rose, Jeso. Molly. Beauty, Mettle. Fcem as go< d and as to the name ol" stallions, they should be somewhat high-soundinp, as indicative of greater importance of character, as Lofty, Farmer, Plowboy, Matchem, Diamond, Blaze, Kanison, Cham- Fig. 295.
Text Appearing After Image:
THE SECTION OF THE POWER CORV-BRUISER. pion, are names which hare all distingviished first rate draught horses. (1396.) This seems a befitting place to say a few words on the farmer's nding and h/irness horses. Usually a young lad, or groom, ia hired to take charge of these, to go errands and to the post-office, and otherwise make himself serviceable in the house. Sometimes the hedger or shep- herd acts the part of groom. My shepherd acted as groom, and his art in grooming is so skillful that many friends remarked to me that they would be glad to see their professed grooms tuni out a saddle-horse or gij,' in so good a style as he did. Besides being useful in carrying the farmer to market, or other short distaaces, a roadster is required to carry him over the farm when it is of large extent, and when the work-people necessarily receive pretty constant attention in the im- portant operations of seed-time and harvest. The harness-horse is useful to a family at all times, as well as to the farmer himself, when he visits his friends; and many farmers now prefer riding to market in a gig or drosky, to horseback; and it must be owned to be the pleasanter mode of the two. (1397.) I have said that the agricultural pupil should have no horse of his own at first, to tempt him to leave home and neglect his own training. But to know how a riding-horse ought to be kept by a groom, and to be able to correct him when he neglects his duty or performs it in an nn- eatisfactory manner, I would advise him to undertake the charge of one himself for some time ; not merely to superintend its keeping, but to clean it himself, to water and corn it at stated times at morning, noon, and night, and to keep the saddle and bridle in proper order. I groomed a new- broke-in blood filly for four months one winter, and cot more insight into its form, temper, and manaeenient, and wants, than I could have obtained by observation alone in a much longer time. On coming home at nia;ht from visiting a friend, I made it a point with myself to make my charge comfortable for the night before thinking of my own rest. (1398.) A saddle-horse is treated somewhat differently in the stable from a work horse. The first thing to be done early in the morning is to shake up the litter nearest the strand with a fork, removing the dung and soiled straw to a court-yard, and sweeping the floor clean. Then give the horse a drink out of the pail \vhich is constantly kept full of water in tiie stable. The usual practice is to offer the water immcdiatcty before giving the com ; but I conceive it more condu- cive to the health of the horse to slake his thirst a while before giving him corn, the water by that time having reached its destined place, and acquired the temperature of the body. Should the horse have to undertake a longer journey than walking about the farm, a stinted allowance of wa- ter before starting on the journey is requisite, say to 10 gluts; but if he is to be at home, then he may drink as much as he pleases. He is then groomed by being, in the first place, gently gone over the whole body with the curry-comb, to loosen the mud that may possibly have been left ad- hering upon the hair from the former night's grooming, and also to raise the scurf from the skia (1098)

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