Farmers' gazette, and Cheraw advertiser. (Cheraw, S.C.) 1839-1843, August 30, 1842, Image 1
HfI?fft?9 U f f t f ? ?
jiirB ?Mm??L?f iLBwmmwiiamBo .
VOLUME VII. CHERAW. SOUTH-CAROLINA TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1843. NUMBER 42.
may aeier men iroiu a w?u.s-. <ji ?
And what if the imputation should actually be
made ? This is what has happened to every individual
who has devoted himself to the enlargement
of the boundaries of knowledge. But even visionary
schemers arc a more deserving class of men
than those who will attempt no improvement.
For, from the results which they reach, though
useless to themselves, wise and practical men will
derive important hints; and thus, incidentally, they
do good; while, as they never set out to get rich,
their failure is the less disappointment to them, |
and they need not our pity.
I must not be met here, by the insane outcry
against " book-farming," and against science as
uscIcbs to agriculture. I wish not to argue the
question on general principles, with this class of
objectors. I will advert to facts too stubborn to
be overthrown,?to facts, too near the cotton planter's
interests and feelings to bo disregarded, or
overlooked.
Every planter knows something of the depredations
of the "ft'ce"?the little insect that preys
upon the cotton when very j'oung, in the spring.
Another familiar enemy is the worm tnafr perior
ates the boll in August. Either of these is sufficiently
injurious alone; and sometimes they are
both, in their seasons, propagated and carried
through their transformations in the same field.
Will any planter present consider for himself
what average deduction from the cotton crop of
Alabama should be made, arising from there two
causes ? We know that, in some seasons, the loss
amounts to half the crop. And what, in round
numbers, is the average market value of the cotton
crop of Alabama, unreduced by the depredations
of these insects ? The average crop now, is
about 300,000 bales; worth at least ?10,500,000.
Suppose it diminished one fourth, the average annual
loss would then be over ?2,600,000. This
year has been much less destructive than many
years arc, perhaps less than the average of years.
And yet a single planter of Perry county told me,
* Hnr* arro. that in thib verv vear they had dc
? *V * ~ b' ' " ' W ?
troyed for him, at the least calculation, 100,000
lbs. of seed cotton; worth .$8,000! Science, it is
true, may cost something, but ignorance costs
much more ! We hear much of the burdens of
education. But here is a clear annual contribu.
tion to ignorance, of .$8,000 frcm one man; and
all the planters in the State have contributed in
the like proportion.
Science spares the illiberal, the unwilling; but
ignorance is all-comprehending, inexorable, and
resistless.
Now, suppose that any foreign enemy sweeping
our coast, or any savage foe lurking on our fron.
tier, should annually levy a contribution, by opcr
force, or secret violence, equal to the depredations
of the insects, how would this be entertained ? A1
though but few persons comparatively were inter
ebted, every man in the State would be ready tc
fly to arms,?the whole power of the general gov
eminent would be roused to resistance; and nei
ther land nor sea would furnish hiding-places t*
remote or obscure, nor fortresses so impregnable
aa to shelter the aggressors from merited ven
gcance. Millions on millions would be lavished
and life profusely devoted, in the patriotic effort t
arrest the depredation.
l But here is a depredation, that goes on fror
year to year, 44 laying taxes without our consent,
to an amount not only indefinite, but absolute1
tnmlrulnhl > nnnn fho whole botlv of SOUthef
? 1 "P'** " J
plantere, and through them upon the whole union
and yet the whole body of them, the high-mindc
and chivalrous, the keen and calculating, th
bold, restless, and indomitable together, tamtl
pocket the affront! The colossal, and almost ii
resistless power of Gieat Britain could not collet
from our feeble colonic.; in '7G, a paltry tax c
J pence a pound on imported tea, levied withoi
thai* consentBut htrc is thf productio
I
By M.
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(CTThe postage must be paid on letters to the
editor on the business of the office.
From the Farmer*.' Register.
.NEED FOR AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS.?COTTONINSECTS.
Extract from an Address on Agriculture, deli v.
ered before the Alabama State Agricultural
Society, on 1th Dec. 1341. By the Rrr. Dr.
^ Manly.
Experiments for the improvement of Agriculture,
as they require, when conducted to the best
advantage, considerable surplus wealth, much
time, patience, and accuracy, and the highest
qualities of intelligence ; and as, when successful,
they issue in the most momentous results, are
worthy the first efforts genius, and the highest
aspirations of patriotism.
No improvements are made, without experiments.
It is true, they are not absolutely confined j
to the rich. There is even an advantage, when j
practical men of limited means, who live by the
returns of their labor, can be induced to try them.
These will always make them on a plan in which
failure will not be injurious, and success will be
universally beneficial; because the poorest may
copy out the processes and realize the results. But j
it is a duty specially incumbent on planters of j
substantial independence. Some experiments, of;
course, will be failures; and such are able to hazard
something. The fear of being thought visionary,
on the face, or in the bowels of the earth, cut off
sometimes by half; and the richest body of men
i that ever ltved on it, foiled, discomfited, reduced
j to abject submission, that scarcely thinks of the
j means of protection, by an insect, a butterfly, a
I louse, a maggot!
I It is already in the minds of some of tliis audij
ence to say, " This is a providential infliction, and
j there is no contending against Providence." So
! are ' briers and thorns' a providential infliction;
but that is no reason why we should not cu' them
out of our fields. So is sickness a providential infliction
; but that is no reason why we should not
seek to prevent and to cure it.
The present state of man is a state of trial. As
there are many facilities opened up by Providence,
for the purpose of trial, not to be used, but avoided
; so, there arc many obstacles interposed from
the same source, not to discourage and thwart us,
but to test our ingenuity, resolution, and perseverance
in overcoming them. And this is one of
them : nor could men be placed in circumstances
i more favorable for contending with such a foe j
I than the body of southern planters. They have j
I wealth, leisure, and intelligence, and have not i
| been thought deficient in energy. The result to
j be reached is of such magnitude as should provoke I
i the ambition of the most cultivated, or wealthy, j
list; JJ.'llUUlllIIUJJlBl, Ctt.ll, CUU1U uuu m.v. *..v.v- |
fit for the exercise of his high powers.
Were any person possessed of the secret by j
| which in an easy, practicable method, these cuej
mies of the cotton plant might certainly be prc'
vented or dislodged; what might Alabama afford.
1 to give for such a secret ? Millions! millions! 1
But is it really the ease that a remedy for these j
ills is within the range of science ? True science I
is modest, and does not assume to itself oninipo- j
tencc, nor even seek favor by boastful pretensions, j
| An answer to that question, however, may be in- |
ferrcd from her achievements in kindred branches
of practical knowledge, known and read of all
men : and from a view of the nature of the case.
On this subject, as the humble advocate of sci- j
cnce, I would content myself with suggesting, that j
I it is possible to capture some of these insects, to !
keep them supplied, in confinement, with every j
j thing they could find in the fields, to oblige them i
to carry on all their operations, and pass through !
all their transformations, under the scrutinizing j
and unremitted observation of scientific and prae. |
tical men; who would mark all the phenomena, |
their periods, their habits, their mode of propaga- I
tion, their transformations, their winter abodes, j
and the circumstances which give them inliu- j
ence. j
I ask now any plain, common-sense, unlettered i
fanner, if there is not a glaring probability that '
such investigations, persevered in,-might give the |
planter a hint by which he could adopt means, at j
least for the mitigation of the evil, so as to render j
it comparatively harmless? .
* * " * * * ?
i
i Who will deny the possibility of success, in the j
I instance of the cotton insects ? We are sure that i
i ignorance and inactivity will not find a remedy: i
' perhaps science may. And the whole cost of the
| experiment for all time will not amount to the
' tenth part of what ignorance is now levying upon
j us, year by year!?It may cost the expense of an
; experimental farm,-with suitable buildings, appurj
tcnanccs, and apparatus. It may cost the means
' of engaging the services of some four or five scicntitle
men, skilled in natural history and chemistry;
j practical, laborious pains-taking men, who will be
I exclusively devoted to all inquiries affecting agri5
culture, joined with a communication of a thorough
professional education, manual and intellectual,
to all classes of our young men, who intend
j to be planters. It may cost this; the setting apart,
I in a permanent investment, of some $1250,000 I
i perhaps, of the people's money, to do what may
j be styled, if ever any thing on earth could, the
people's oxen business.
Could wc even suppose it probable that the experiment
./ould fail as a means of extermination
of the insects in question, can any reasonable man
doubt lor a moment wiiat would be the effect on
! the general interests of agriculture, of such an csj
tablishment ? A body of able men professionally
j and exclusively employed in applying the deducj
tions of science to the actual tillage of the soil, to
i the devclopemcnt of all its adaptations and resources
in every part of the state, to the suggestion
and proper trial of every species of improvement
in all the productions and arts of husbandry,
I to the training up, by the union of study and personal
labor, of a race of hordv, virtuous, enlight
encd cultivators of the soil,?the foundation and
!-/ 4U- I..? A -> ? '1 t!,o r'lrrht #?v#? and
I lilb UVUU UIU WJH\ , >?v & -j~
| arm of the commonwealth ?
I Gentlemen, it is too plain to admit of a doubt,
that such an establishment would, in the course
of fifty years, repay to the state in one form or
other the cost of the investment, one hundred times
Ql-Cr, ?***?**?
From the Fanners' Register.
lime.?the wheat chop, &LC.
, To the Editor of the Farmers' Register.
I lament, my dear sir, that you should think of
giving up your useful labors; believe me when I
> assure you that the Farmers' Register has been a
. great public benefaction, and I must hope that
. you will not discontinue it. If you would be con.
a tented to take the vote of Virginia as your guide,
, I am sure you would have an overwhelming vote
. to go on. Men may differ, and do differ on every
1, subject; from the hour that " darkness dwelt upor
o the face of the deep," man has dared to differ witl
his God, how then could you hope for agreement
n and sympathy ? You have been his benefactor
" what of that ? Is he not in a free country, t<
y take such things as he does, and his neighbor'!
n grounds, and us-o them according to that barbana;
; thing called the " enclosing law," or 44 act of as
d scmbly." If a people be legislated into barbarity
i -e .i :r *i i
iC Why complain 01 uiexu 11 iney nave ijuu uie ?a
y of God upon their minds?
r. I owe much to your correspondents for amuse
;t nient and instruction, and I would not on any ac
>f count offend the least of them: let me, in tbi
:t j feeling, give you a few facte.
n I have used, in the last twelve year?, sevent
thousand bushels of lime, with full and complete I
I success. If I say the crops have been doubled, I j
I am within the bounds of truth, save in two prcvi!
ous crops of wheat, which were failures. The <
i present is very great, and I impute it to the differ- '
{ once in cultivation; the failures were after three
j and four ploughings, the present after one only.?
This however is the ninth day since I began my <
harvest, and I have not, from rain, cut twenty j <
acre3. A few days more of such weather mustj f
sprout it all in the fie?d. ! t
I Mv corn is fine, and that for twelve vears or ! ?
more has been planted upon one ploughing; it in
then coultered twice, and the cultivator finishes. ^
j But let me add that 8 cultivators pass over my ^
I field in four days, and I am persuaded that I get j
! more from the atmosphere than the corn uses in
: its growth. For this reason I call it my chamc- ^
leon crop, and feed it freely. j
My oat crop upon limed land is not slow to show j ^
the power of lime. My clover, sir, is the food, the i p
meat and drink of all other crops. I save my own !
seed, and sow in the pug, twenty bushels to the ! ^
acre, as clean as the hand rake will make it from ^
the thrashing machine, and that is as little as we
give. This gives dear old Mother Earth a per.
feet robe of green; and when the blossomB set, ^
it takes no poets imagination to sec that the dear j
old lady is in a dignified strut. I never fail to give j
one or one and a half bushels of plaster in March ;
and say what you may or please about philoso- j ^
phy, plaster upon limed land is worth six times
its weight in fine fiour upon your table. I forgot '
to say that I put a spoonful of plaster to each hill p.
of corn as scon as it is planted, and that I plas- y
tcr my meadows every spring with full and entire ^
satisfaction as to results. Lime?lime?lime. ^
Fairfax county, June 1 Sift, 1842. ,
t
From the Fanners' Register.
OX THE DEGENERATING AND NECESSARY *
CHANGES OF SEED WHEAT.
Shirley Dec. 10/Zt, 1841. o
Dear sir :?I observed n call upon &orr.e
of the James river farmers in the Inst No.
of the Farmers' Register to present their
opposite views of preference for each of 'j
sundry different kinds of wheat as the
supposed hesf crop, and as I was named j ^
among thcrn, I will proceed to give some
D ~
account of the different kinds of wheat r
which have been cultivated in this neigh,
fcorhocd, and the run they have, had, for 2
the Inst five and twenty years during h
which I have been a farmer. When 1 n
was a hoy, about the year 1309. or 1310, ii
I recollect homing a good deal about the (j
Baltimore bearded wheat, as it was then J
called, [or golden-chaff.] which I believe f
had n great run about that time, and in P
1810, when I began to farm, I found it
\ct in vogue, and quite popular, though t
the while May wheat was then the great
rage, particularly for good land. -The
u lute May wheat had a run of soiuo 10 or v
15 vears, and then degenerated so much l(
ms to he abandoned, and is now hardly to
he met with at all. v
rMirr.tft cfpait- novt 1 R
j lie iTivmita... |#...r.w -
had its run, and n most admirable wheat p
I it was, and the longest in degenerating t
of any wheat we have ever had ; hut, alas ! n
it has had its day, for it has now degeno- s
rated very inueh. The next wheat was the i c
turkey w heat, or bine stem, as it is called | :
by some, which is a very superior wheat, j
and next to the purple straw the best wheat |
we have ever had, and promises to con. i
tinuc as long a favorite as the mountain j
purple straw did ; hut it will degenerate ;
after a w hile no doubt, as all wheats in
our climate do. There have been many
other wheats which have been popular j '
for sh?.rt periods during the some time I
wi:h the above wheats ; for instance, the !
yellow lammns, the goose wheat, the j
white flint wheat, the Lnwler wheat, i
the red .May wheat, and many others ; j j
but they were short-lived. There is one |
thin" I have observed in all new wheats,
n
that they all, or nearly all of them, sue- ,
i ceed well for a short period, and frequentj
ly better the first year than ever after;
j which has led me to suppose :hnt our cli- i ^
mate and soil hnve the effect to degeno- i
rate the wheat plant, and that we should j
procure new seed from a distance every j
j five or ten years at least, or resort to sc- j
letting our seed from the most perfect j
i and most forward heads every year, and j
keep up the quality Jn that way. which
: was done with the white May wheat form- ;
! crly, and kept it up no doubt for a longer i
j time than it otherwise would have been :
i hut even that proved ineffectual at last, |
and nothing hut the introduction of new j
| wheats from a distance will, I believe, ;
j answer perfectly.
N. 13. I omitted to say in thecornmu- j
I nication above thut I have found tlie turkey i
. wheat for fallow and early sowing, nnd j
the red bearded wheat for late sowing, or !
corn-field, the best. The red bearded
wheat, until a few years back, was not j
j sown on my plantation for 15 years, and j
I think succeeds better in consequence \
. ! of it.
. | If the agricultural board could induce
l I the general government to import seed
j { of various kinds from foreign countries
t j in our national ships, and distribute tbein
. about the country, it would be one of the j
j j best meansof aiding agriculture they could i
arlrmf for it I?j ir?inr.wvililt, fnr nriviitn indi.
Bi ? r "* r
, | viduals to do it effectually. I myself a j
u j few year* ngo got a friend to bring me in j
. | a couple of bushels of seed wheat from j
x ! England, nnd not n grain of it came up ; j
| but if it had been brought in by a fine, j
, | dry, airy national ship, nnd proper pre-'
. j caution taken to secure it from the damp
s; of the ship, it might have succeeded.
j Change of seed in plants is as necessary
v as a change or cross in animals ; and as
to preferring one kind of wheat over all
I* " ...
others for any length of time, it will be
found not to answer, at Ien9t that is the
experience of your friend and obedient
servant,
H. Cartkr.
P. S. Bv-thc-by, talking of a change
)f seed, reminds me of changing my seod
jafs. Can you tell me how I can get
tome seed oats from a great distance, oith*
sr west or north, as my own seed lias run
>ut entirely ?
[The view taken by Mr. Carter, and
vhich is entertained also by other good
armcrs, is an additional nnd important
torn jn the list of comparative advantages
>f different kinds of wheats According
o this view, the wheat which js bpst at
mo time may be inferior and objection.!de
at a later time?and thus there is need !
or continual vigilance and unceasing cx- '
crfments of the farmer, to know when as
vrII as how to change his seed. Wo i
louht, hut do not deny, the entire correctless
of the opinion. But it is entitled
o high respect?and we would be glad to
ave it discussed more fully.
In answer to the inquiry in the post- ,
cript we have no particular information j
o offer ; but presume that an order for a
cw bushels of the best esteemed oats,
ent through a seedsman of pood rcputa- j
'.on, would be successful. Mr. William
'aimer, of Richmond, has connexions in 1
lainc, nnd we have no doubt con he ns
oncstly supplied by others, as ho may (
e perfectly relied on for his own part of i
he agency.?Ed. F. R.]
"rom the London Farmers' Magazine for June, \
1842.
x the abolition of tiie fixed bridle
or bearing rein.*
There is much mismanagement nnd
onsequent misery inflicted on horses
hrough the force and continuance of
ustom, habit, and prejudice ; particulary
evinced hy the use of the beafingcin.
The editor is impelled by a wish to do
ood, promoted by attachment to the
orso, and compasssion for that much
bused and most cruelly-treated animal ;
nflucncrd too, as he hopes, hy a sincere
iesiro to serve and benefit the owners,
i is hi-i object, .by what he trusts will be
oundsound reasoning, to bring into discpute,
and (as soon as may he) into disne,
that tormenting part of the harness,
he fixed bridlo or bearing-rein.
It is a principle in mechanics, that
rhencvcr agent or instrument suffers the j
*nst resistance from restraint, friction, ,
r other wear or tear, it will do its office (
rith the most cure, with the greatest ,
conomy of time, and with the least ex- I
icnditure of strength and money ; and <
his whether the agent or instrument he
in animal or n machine. Hence, to enure
the full exercise of an animal's powt
in the safest and most easy way to
tself, wo should he careful not perma>nn?lv
tr> rliKtnrh its natural oosture. Tho
f *" " "" " I
juration to he decided is, whether or not
t is most judicious and proper to give a
mrsc the free use of his head, or prevent
iim from having (hat use.
It must be admitted that whenever a
lorse trips or stumbles, nature prompts
iim to try to savn himself, and he instantv
extends his neck and head for the purpose
as a man would his arms : this
intural effort increases tlie animal's danjer
if his head he ?t all confined l>y the
>enring-rein, hecause tho tug which he
jives with his mouth is communicated to
the harness upon his hack to which the
rem is hooked, and tlie effect is the same
is if a man were with both his hands to
lay hold of the collar of his coat to save
himself. To render the hearing-rein or
bridle of any utility in saving an animal
from falling, it should be of great strength
and Mibstnnre, and fastened behind and
above, or it will he useless.
The dorsal muscles or sinews of the
back in all quadrupeds run longitudinally
or horizon'nlly from the head and tail,
and those extremities are main working
powers?what the arms are to a walker
or laborer, the head nnd tail are to the
animal; tie a man's arms to his side,
and even a gentle pusher trip will throw
him down. This is the effect produced by
tho hearing rein. The horse's head being
fixed, he is unable to use it as nature
intended, and therefore ii he trips or
slides nis head is of no use. When horses
stumble, they often break the bearingrein,
and thus getting the head free are
enabled to save themselves. We all
know that when a horse is down, the first
thing done is to "give him his head"
that he may get up. We do not mean
to say that a horse will never stumble if
worked without a hearing rein, because
wc know that they sometimes fall whilst
loose in the field ; hut we assert without
fear of contradiction, that the surest way
to keep a horse on his legs is at all times
to give him free use of his head. The
more he is crippled the more he needs his
t i 1
: head. The bearing-rein mnv prouawy uc
i *
Observations on the effect of the fixed bricie,
I or bearing-rein, and a few words for the pnglis'c
' pc/St-horoe.?Thomar, Plymouth.
I
j asceni, snu inu uursu ihiu oiu|ij/cu j>i^? ^v
low the top of the hill : the driver turned
the horse round down the hill, then up,
* It would be well if there were more colt bend
ere?the tempera of horses are not studied by th<
generality of colt breakers ; horses' tempers varj
as much as nun's.
t It is the opinion of many eminent vetcrinarj
surgeons, that " roaring and blindness are produc
ed in carriage-horses, and wagon-horece, by th
bearing-reins.
t The dray horse6 in London exhibit the moi
painful examples of the cruelty of using a tig!
bearing-rein. Whether at work or standing the
will be found in continual torment?tossing the
heads, or resting the weight of them on the bi
and so drawing back the corners of their mouth
' as nearly out split the ligature*;?at work, instead
' going on steadily, they" bob" their heads, feelir
the check at every etep they take.
spcctable men, wholly ign'orant of the
pain and agony which their horses have
endured. * There
is one infallible proof constant,
ly to be obtained of the cruelty of the use
of the bearing-rein, and of its injurious
effects, though we believe very few persons
are aware of it. Whenever a horse
has been worked with a tight bearing. |
rein, the corners of his mouth become raw, 1
inflame, fester, and eventually the mouth |
becomes enlarged on each side; in some
cases to the extent of two inches. Even
before the bit has produced these visible
effects, if the corner of the mouth, under
the bit, be touched, the animal will flinch
as if from hot iron. Let this be the sign
with every master and servant.
To what are these enlargements attributable?what
causes them 7 Nothing
but the friction of the bit in the efforts of
the horse to get up to his work# How
dreadful to see a horse heavy laden?his
neck bent into a perfect curve?his mouth
open?his eyes ready to start out of theif
sockets. The ignorant, though perhaps
not cruelly disposed driver, looks on with
admiration to see how " handsome" his
- A * ? I *
norso appears, ana imagines mm mc nw
ing head, open mouth, and gnashing teeth
are signs of game and strength, whilst on
the contrary, they are the most unequivocal
evidence of distress and agony. Let
any one test the truth of this by loosing
the bearing-rein, and he will immediately
find the horse go faster, keep his mouth
shut, and his head in one steady horizontal
position.? A short time since the
editor stoppped a wagon to look at the
mouth of the shaft horse?he found the
mouth actually cut open by the bit at least
two inches on each side : the wagoner
said ' he know'd it sure, 'ticas the fair
icear of the ir'ji /" The man was open to
conviction, and upon the cause of this
dreadful punishment being shown he altered
the rein.
The propensity to jib, if not actually
caused, is much increased by the bearingrein.
In ascending a hill the freest horse
may be compelled to stop and refuse to
exert himself, knowing that ho can put
no more strength till the head is loose.
A short time since, in Southampton-street,
Covent Garden, the editor of this pamphsaw
a crowd collected looking at a scavenger's
cart, fully loaded, drawn by an imI
inense horse. The street is a moderate
I .L - I L_.i 1
of some use in "breaking* a^olt," and
may, perhaps, help to "get up his head"
until he has been "taught his paces," but
afterwards it can answer no end, except
souring his temper, making him jib, deadning
his mouth, wasting^iis strength,
hurting his wind, injuring his sight, les.
sening his speed, abridging his services,
shortening his davs. throwing him down.
o J " c*
and breaking his knees : all these, it is
fearlessly asserted, proceed daily froth the
use of this cruel appendage.
When running loose, the horse's neck
is usually extended as straight as hi3
back; in this manner horses would generally
work. It is the natural position,
and the nearer we approach to*t the bet- I
tcrfor the animal, for he is thennt ease;
and (though little remembered) his pulmo- |
nary action, or breathing unimpeded. It j
is absurd to make a bend or an angle, (if [
it all acute or sharp) in a watcr-fnpe, or
hose ; so it is absurd and cruel too to
bend back out of.its natural line the windpipe
of the horse by the use of the bear:
t? .u? c. r..ii ..^i
ing-icm. hi uiu luniiu tnu- u. iuu vui*
time of water cannot be obtained ; in the !
latter tho free breathing of the animal i
(so essential to its comfort, and even to 1
its life) is hindered.f Denied this may
be ; disproved it cannot. The effect of J
restraining a horse by tho bearir^J-^ein, j
is to prevent him from getting up to the
collar. If the hit is in the least degree I
affected by the bearing.rein; in other J
words, if it is not entirely loose in
mouth, the horse is checked, and beside?
being keut from the full free exercise of
his strength, he is prevented from leaning
the weight of his body into the collar.
We are aware that many who admit
that bearing reins are not safe, use them
because they like to see a horse look well,
like to see him hold his head up, tyc.; but
a kind and humane man would not hare
such foolish desires ; the care and comfort
of his horse would be his only object.
The mischievous effects before stated are
often overlooked by many to whom the
use of the bearing-rein in as natural as the
saddle or any pait of the harness. The
editor has often found very kind and re
I and with his help-mafo very humanely
i assisted by pushing. The horse, without
being flogged or spo&en to, went on steadily
with his very heavy load to about tho
place he before stopped at, and again
*4 ^ J! . i i 1
.1 gave up : ne was sweating muco, ana
appeared to be a game good horse. Tho
i editor went up to the driver and advised
! him to unhook the bearing.rein ; the man
| said, " it's nau use, I have turned him a.
! round three times"?the editor aaid, " ho
must he a good horse to tal^Pto the load,
j three times," and pressed him to unhook
' tho rein ; the man replied, u th?^uso Ml
fall down.." Tho editor cnaAed^iim to
try, the rein was unhooked, and immediately
tho*horse took th^ load from the
spot where he stood ; the man said, " ho
nerer saud it done afore." It is not uncommon
for considerato drivers to unbear
their horses at the foot of a hill, which is
a very strong proof of tho folly of using
the rein at all. It has been and may
again he advanced as a plea for its retention,
that a horse after having been used
to the rein will miss it, and so be liable to
fall if he trips after it^is taken off. A
trial will peove that this is not the result.
It is a common opinion that when a '
horse trips or stumbleg, it is the rider or
driv^- whopullshini up, by the sudden
jerk or shorten!ng^?s reins, and pre-.
! vents an actual fal^^ience the moment
a IWrse takes a false step, the ridlr er dri.
I ver tdfi the rein with all his might. We
frequently hear it said, " the horse .was
going to fall, but I pulled him up! I
keprhin^n his legs !" As well might a
r fly resft^on a cod%-weel boast of it?- .
kicking up a dust; as well might a wag
j oner seated on the shafts, think to pull up
' ft wago# which had lost its fore wheel;.
Such expressions are proofs of^ie ignor.
ance of those who make them, becauso
when they become nwaro of the fact that
the horse has stumbled the danger is over
?the' animal has recovered- I'.Ctlf, and
their tug is useless. To help on animal
I tjifectunlly there must be " where* ;,;S:ar.i
5 on," and both an arm and a rein strong
enough. A bearing-rein is fixed to the
falling horse and falls with him?it can.
not save him j it keeps a horse from seeing
and avoiding stones and other irq^cd.
iments, it is a hindrance not a helpx an
injury, and not a benefit. If he fall with
a bearing-rein he must break his knees or* \
the rein, or its hook, or the crupper ; if ho
trips v ithout one, and the driver "gives
him his head," by instantly slackening
the reins (what few incxperionced Englishmen
will either do, or believe to beju
dicious) the creature is set a liberty, ond
! will probably quickly recover himself, unless
receiving, a9 he is almost sure to do,
many heavy Iashe9. It cannot be supposed
that a horse stumbles willingly, there,
foro to punch him for it is unjust, and
only adds to his fear.
It rnu9t not, however, be inferred that
all who use the bearing-rein approve of it.
Servants, when men of humanity, experience,
skill, and character, nre often
found to admit its folly end uselcssnessr
but dare not lay it aside.
It is 9aid that the Iadie9 powerfully ob*
struct the removal of this useless and in.
jurious instrument. It is hoped that the
few who drive and the many who keep
their own horses, will give the best and
strongest denial to this scandalous imputation,
by immediately reprobating tho
j uso of tho rein. Could their poor horses
j answer the question??Why do you coni
tinuaiiy toss your heads when standing in
| harness? Why do you stretch open
i mouths, shake your heads, and gnash
your teeth ? Why do you turn your head9
back towards your sides, as if looking at
the carriage ? they would answer?all,
all this is done to got relief from the agony
we are enduring by having our
j heads kept erect, and our necks bent by
tight bridles.
To ladies the editor would appeal with
earnestness. His heart has ached when
nnssinrr the' horses of the nobility and
r r ?4 ,
others at the doors of houses in London,
to see the unceasing motion of the heads
of the poor creatures, the coachmen sitting
at their case, perfectly unconcerned,
and often doubtless unconscious of the
agonizing pain of the muscles and sinews
of the neck tho horses are enduring. No
humane person could knowingly suffer
such cruelty to be practised. It is true
that to the eyes of ignorant people, horses
tortured with the bearing-rcin look " very
fine," but the true connoisseur will never
be pleased at such distortions.
England, where the best horses and the
best drivers aro to be found, England (it
is said) is the only country in which that
bane of the horse, tho bearing-rein, is used!
In France it is not used, and, as tho na'
ttiral consequence, horses in that country
seldom fall to the ground, or so as to hurt
themselves. At the very instanta horso
stumbles the French coachmen slackens
r the rein, that the horse may save himself.
It is sincerely hoped that the entire ror
moval of this punishing bridle will be spee
dily effected by the powerful aid of vetec
rinary surgeons, by the owners and drt
vers of private carriages, noble and gen.
nholishini? this useless, tor
>i | lie, ui uuvu ?? D
it meriting appendage ; by the society for
y \ the prevention ot cruelty to animals lendir
( ing to this good object their aid unitedly
t, as a body, and individually as members ;
a, by giving circulation in newspapers and
of . I
Archimedes said, " Give me a place to star.*!
or. and I will mere tie world."
I
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