FACTS FOR FARMERS. THE FOOT OF THE HORSE.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 361, 5 September 1874, Page 2

FACTS FOR FARMERS. THE FOOT OF THE HORSE.

The foot of the horse (says the Sydney Matt) presents an iutei-esting study. As the last member of tho leg it corresponds to th« final joint of the digit of tho human hand. There is in fact a striking resemblance to the hand in the bones from the knee downwards. Supposing the knee to represent the cirpal or wrist bones, the long cannon bone, formed of one strong bone in front, with two smaller behind, does not look much like the four metacarpal bones from the wrist to tho first, joint of tho fingers, forming tho palm of the hand, but so it is 1 . The metacarpal bones and fingers are quite changed. There is in the ruminants a modification of this form. Tho cow has the foot split in two parts for special purposes. And in tho same way in the horse the bones are brought together for a special purpose, and finished with a solid hoof instead of a cleft hoof. The changes are taken by some persons to bo a strong pi oof of the evolution theory. The horse of the eocene foimation, as shown by fo&sil remains, has all four digits on the fore-foot well developed, with three toes on the hind-foot. The horse of the miocene formation there were but throe digits, the central one gaining in size. The horse of the succeeding stage, about the size of the ass, shows the two lateral digits very much diminished, and of little use ; while in the equus of the last series the lateral hoofs are gone, and the digits are represented by rudimentary splint bones. Professor Marsh, from these discos cries, infers an earlier ancester, " perhaps in the lower eocene, with four toes on tho hind-foot and five iv front, and to this a still earlier ancester, possibly in the chalk formation, with five toes on each foot, the typical number in mammalß. This, hower, is but a deviation from our subje3t. The foot of the horso is a very perfect piece of mechanism, and this mechanism is such that a writer on tho subject says it can be preserved perfect only by the natural o\ercise of its parts. The horse, originally a native of extensive plains and steppes, has a .structure admirably conformed to these hia natural pasture-grounds." But when brougkt into subjection, toV.: L .i on hard roads, the

foot suffers fr^in concussion. Tho bones of ths foot of the camel i-o.st ou a soft elastic cushion. In the horse s loot there is a structure of a similar kind, ln.it it acts very differently, nnd never comes to the ground ; nor, indeed, does the sole of the horse's foot bear the weight directly. Tho horny frog, the the triangular projection in the hollow of the hoof has placed abovo it an elastic frog or cushion ; and inasmuch as these parts receive the weight of the animal, and by their descent, when the foot is on tho ground, press out the crust or horny hoof, they are essential to the structure of the foot. The anterior tip of this crust, or the part of the hoof which last touches the ground as the foot rises, is very dense and firm, to withstand the pressure and impuse forward. The lateral parts, however, are elastic, and on their play depends that resiliency of the foot which prevents concussion. The crust is not consolidated with the bone called coffin bone ; certain elastic lamhue, growing from the bone and dovetailed into the crust, are interposed between them. When the animal puts his foot to the ground the weight bears on the coffin bone, and from its being attached to the circle of the crust by those laminae, tho lateral parts yield, and the weight is directed on the margins of the crust, the sole never touching, unless it has become diseased. Zenopher, speaking of the Persian horses, says that their grooms were careful to carry them on a pavement of round stones, that by beating their feet against a Or in and irregular surface, the texture of the foot might be put into exercise. In commenting on this fact one of our best anatomists observes : "It corresponds cuiiously with this, that our highbred horses are subject to a disease of the foot, from which the powerful draught and Flanders horses are exempt. The heavy horse, with less blood than the racehorse, lifts his foot in a circle, and comes forcibly on the ground ; while the horse for the I turf, being light, moves with the foot close to the ground ; no time is lost in lifting it high in the semicircle : the consequence of which is that from the foot coming thus gently down, it warts the full play of the apparatus. Hence it may be understood how the lighter horse is subject to contractions of the foot ; the bones, ligaments, and crust being out of use, the sole becomes firm as a board, the sides of tli9 crust are permanently contracted, the parts have no longer their elastic play, and the foot striking on hard pavement suffers a shock or concussion ; then comes ' a fever of the foot,' which is inflammation, and that may go on to the total destruction of the fine apparatus. The proof of all this is, that unless the inflammation has advanced too far by paring and softening the exterior of the hoof, so as to restore its elasticity, the veterinary surgeon may cure this contracted foot." Now it is | clear from this that the foot of the racer ia not adapted for the foot of the hack or the roadster, whether for harness or saddle, and yet this is the bire recommended. It furnishes confirmatory proof that animals bred distinctly for the turf are in many respects unfitted to be the sires of horses required for ordinary purposes — and this consideration should have more weight^han it has. Dr Bidard relates his observations on the growth and development of wheat. Either in a very low temperature, or a frost succeeding humidity, can endanger winter wheat by upheaving the soil and exposing the roots. At the close of February, m lien tho lenves began to develop, be examined | tlie stem, nml found that jt consisted of five tubes, one I within the other, lilo a telescope. A month later the rudiiv.. nary enr was visible ; n month afterwards the spikelets, ;iu<l c\cn the flower wa3 discernible. Many farmers in IA n in' grazi« stock on their winter wheat m ently spring, •uul often complain that the practice is sometimes injurious, causing tho plant to run only to leaf. May this not be owing to thf» grazing taking place at too Into a period, and when i tlio rudimentary ear hu3 been formed? In June, when the j tempi liiturc increases, the floral organs develope rapidly, tli^ «t-unina becomo Yellow, the pistils white, and all enclosed , beuu'i n the tenderost of valves. A temperature of 72 deg. isneuswy for the process of fecundation, which is effected , in a l'.omenl. In the course of three minute* .aflcrnarda | the Titlves of the spikeleti open, reject the stamina, and then j ennanently reclose. When the fecundation, owing to a low temper.it nro, dees not take place, the spiLolet retains not the les* its lotind form, but yields to the pressuie of tho finger. It is empt\, hence one of tho causes of a deficient harvest. B.'lnro fecundation, no starch is perceptible in tl c embryo, but immediately after that opeiation, the iodine test reveals tho presence of tho starch. Ton dayi suffice to "bane, when fecundation has taken place, the membrnno of thegmin which ultimately forms bran. This membrane or I ease mpidly becomes filled with a solution of starch, and requires si good deal of water to continne its work of development. Should drought ensue, this membrane is not; well filled. It h thin and shrivelled — bonce, a second cause of dpfiViMit harvest. To .which a third ruay be added, tho tiboition of two or more gram 3 at the base of tho par — the In Cer "enernlly possessing from twenty-one to twenty-seven tplltlll tS. Fro ii the i searches of Schulze, there is a certain relation between the richness of a soil in mineral matters and tbo trees it produces. In the case of pines and larch it has been found that tho poorer the soil in phosphoric acid, the more inferior will bo the yield of timber. As a rule in general, the greater t lie quantity of potash and lime in a soil the more vigorous will be the trees. The removal of the leaves from forest ?<oil is also a serious source of exhaustion. In the susrar fnetories it is the practice to mix quicklime with tho debris limb comes from the pressing machines, the value of tho cotnpnst hos been found to be moro commercially valuable, nnd, of course for manuring purpose*, on which prices aro ba-'il, by substituting gypsum for quicklime. Ifc has bet u observed that when calves suckle their mothers the latter es)ieriencea great desire to drink, although having drunk but :> few minutes previously. Is it that she fears her ofl'spring nouldbe left without a supply of nourishment, and takes recaulioiis? Ifc has also been remarked that whether milked in the field or in the shed, cows display a desire to dunk, though having just drank. Experiments nro promised .is to watering cows, only during tho process of milking, to iivjortain if tho practice affects tho seoi etion of milk.