When fire heat is first applied, the thermometer should be 55° at night, and 60° or 65° in the day; but the heat should be gradually increased as the buds begin to swell, keeping the heat at night about 10° lower than that of the day till the flower-buds appear, when the spurs are generally stopped about one bud beyond the flower-bud, and the leaf-shoots, which are opposite the flower-buds, are each stopped at a single leaf. The bunches must also be thinned, and not more than nine or ten allowed to each vine, if trained in the spur manner. The heat of the house should now be about 80° by day and 70° by night, and a little air should be given for half an hour every day, whenever it can be done without lowering thetemperature below 74°. The hot-water pipes or flues should be frequently sprinkled with water when the vines are going out of flower, and the grapes beginning to swell; and the grapes in each bunch should be thinned out with a pair of scissors, and the shoulders of the bunches tied up to allow the grapes to swell. The house should now be at its greatest heat, viz. 85° by day, and 74° or 75° at night; air should be given freely, whenever it can be done without lowering the temperature below 77°; and the hot-water pipes should be sprinkled with water six or eight times during the twenty-four hours. When the fruit begins to change colour for ripening, this sprinkling should be left off, and air admitted freely, even at night, whenever it can be done without lowering the temperature too much. During the whole of the forcing, the border should be watered with dung water; and, as soon as all danger from frost is over, the leaves and straw should be thrown off, and the bed slightly forked over, to admit the warmth of the sun to penetrate the earth, and the air to reach the roots of the vines, as unless the air is allowed to reach the roots the grapes will not set well.
If the forcing was commenced in February, the grapes will be ripe in July and August; the Sweetwaters ripening first, the Hamburgs next, and the West's St. Peter's and Muscat of Alexandrialast. When grapes are wished to be ripe in May or June, the forcing must begin the first of December, and pines may be grown with the same heat as will be required for the vines; but, when this is the case, the vines must have an artificial winter given to them, by ceasing all fire heat as soon as the fruit is cut, and taking off the sashes; the stems are afterwards kept in the shade, and as cool as possible through September and October, and they are pruned in November. When, on the contrary, grapes are not required before September, very little forcing is requisite; but the bunches of grapes must be carefully thinned, and not more than ten or twelve bunches should be allowed on each vine. When the vines are in flower and the fruit setting, the house should be kept close, and the pipes or flues frequently sprinkled with water; as a hot dry air makes the calyx shrivel up before the pollen has reached the ovary, and, when this is the case, the grapes will be small and frequently without stones.
It would take too much space to explain to you the other methods of training and pruning, and I need only say that the long method, which is the only one except the spur system in general use, consists in cutting out the old wood every second year, and supplying its place with wood of the previous season's growth.
You will thus see that the principal points to be attended to in the culture of the vine are:—1. To prune the plants so as to prevent them from forming too much wood, but not to cut too near the buds; 2. To keep the roots and collar of the plants, when forcing begins, at the same temperature, or nearly so, as the upper part of the stems; 3. To admit air to the roots as soon as all danger is over from frost; 4. To thin both the branches and grapes properly and in due time; 5. To keep the air of the house moist when the fruit is setting and swelling; and 6. To give the plants a proper season of rest.
Pinesare propagated by crowns, that is, the bunch of leaves on the upper part of the fruit; or suckers which form by the side of the old plant. These are potted in small pots in proportion to their size, in a soil composed of seven eighths of pure loam and one of silver sand; and plunged about two thirds of their depth into a bed of tan, at the heat of about 95° in the bed, and the usual heat of a forcing-house in the atmosphere, if grown in the vinery. Young plants are sometimes grown without pots in propagating-pits; from which they are transferred, after being repotted, to what are called succession pits; and, after remaining there a long time, they are either removed to the tan-pit in the vinery to fruit, or to fruiting-pits. I shall not attempt to give youdirections for their culture during all these changes, which take up a great deal of time; Jamaica pines being two years before they are ready to cut, Providence pines about twenty or two and twenty months, and Queen pines sixteen or eighteen months. Your only chance of growing pines is, therefore, not to have them till they are put into fruiting-pots; these are plunged into the tan-pit in the vinery in February or March, when the forcing of the vines begins; and afterwards they will require no other care than watering them frequently, and keeping the atmosphere moist, to make the fruit swell. Pine-apples are sometimes grown without pots, in peat soil, through which pipes of hot water are carried so as to heat the earth to 95°, while the atmosphere is kept moist, and decayed leaves are laid on the surface and drawn up round the plants. In this way, Queen pines have been grown to the size of five or six pounds, and New Providence pines from twelve pounds to fifteen pounds.
Whenpeachesare forced in a vinery, the trees should be three or four years old before they are put into the house. The best kinds are, the Grosse Mignonne, the Royal George, the Bellegarde, and the Late Admirable; and, where only one kind is wanted, the Bellegarde is preferred, as it is not so liable to the mildew as the others. The best kinds ofnectarinefor forcing are the Elruge andthe Violette hâtive. If the forcing begins in December, the fruit will be ready in May. The leaves should be frequently syringed with water at the temperature of the house; and, in other respects, the culture is the same as for peaches in the open air, and the forcing the same as for vines. The greatest objection to growing peaches in a vinery is, that the shade thrown by the leaves of the vines prevents the proper colouring and flavouring of the fruit.
Standard fruit treesshould never be planted in a kitchen-garden, as from their drip and shade it is impossible to grow good culinary vegetables under them; while, on the other hand, the constant digging and movement of the soil required for culinary vegetables, make the roots of the trees descend so far that they get beyond the reach of the air, and can never produce good fruit. Dwarf standards are fruit trees grafted near the collar of the plants, and trained in various ways to form bushes rather than trees. Sometimes a hoop is placed inside, and the branches are trained into a cup-shape; at others, the branches are formed into a kind of umbrella; and, at others, they are trained into the shape of a distaff (en quenouille), or like a pyramid. All these and many other modes of training dwarf standards may be seen at the London Horticultural Society's Garden at Chiswick: but only pears, apples, and dwarf cherriesare treated in this manner; and, though they are convenient to gather the fruit from, they are in so unnatural a state as to be subject to canker and other diseases, and seldom live long. Espalier trees are subject to the same objections, as they are in a still more unnatural state than dwarf standards. The hardy kernel and stone fruits are therefore best grown in an orchard, and I shall now say a few words on their treatment.
Applesare the most useful of all fruits, and there are three distinct kinds, the dessert or eating apples, the kitchen or baking apples which fall or become soft in cooking, and the cider apples which are good for nothing but cider. Apple trees are generally grafted on crab stocks; and, when they are planted, the collar should be raised a little above the soil, as if it is buried the tree will very probably become cankered, or affected with the American blight. Canker is sometimes cured by cutting out the cankered part, and admitting air to the roots; and the insect called the American blight may be removed by washing the tree with a brush and soft soap and warm water, or by plastering it over with a mixture of stiff clay and water.
Pear treesare very apt to send their roots down to a great depth, and then cease bearing; so that it is desirable to keep the roots near the surface by mulching with manure or dead leaves. The fruit is produced on spurs, and when pear treesare grown against a wall they are trained horizontally, with short projecting branches or spurs. Pear trees against a wall are very apt to bear their fruit in clusters, and to leave a great part of the tree barren; and this arises from their flowers having naturally very little pollen, and, where the flowers are exposed to great heat, the pollen drying up without fertilising the stigma. The best remedy is to syringe the branches occasionally, and to shade them when in blossom.
Thequincethrives best near water; as does themedlar. Mulberry treesare best planted on a lawn, for the convenience of picking up the fruit clean from the grass; as it falls as soon as it is ripe.Plumsandcherriesrequire no particular care when grown as standards, except to be sparing in the use of the knife, as both trees, when wounded, are very apt to produce gum; and this, which is an unnatural exudation of the sap, similar to the bleeding of the vines, is very injurious to the trees.
Thealmondis a kind of peach tree, with a leathery fruit instead of a juicy one, the almond being the kernel of the stone. The bitter almond abounds in Prussic acid; but this powerful poison scarcely exists in the kernel of the sweet variety. Almond trees are generally grafted on plum stocks; and they should be grown in a dry soil and a sheltered situation, as the branches arebrittle and apt to be broken off by high winds. When almond seeds are sown, the sharp end should be pressed downwards; and the young plants should not be transplanted except when absolutely necessary, as they have very long tap-roots. When the almond is planted for ornament it should have a back-ground of evergreens, as its flowers appear before its leaves.
Thewalnut, being a spreading tree with large leaves, should only be planted where no injury will be sustained by a deep shade being cast upon the ground; but it must be observed that its leaves are disliked by all cattle, and are injurious to cows. In pruning it the tips of the branches should be taken off, to make them throw out fruit-bearing shoots.
Sweet chestnutsare always propagated by seeds, and never grow well unless the soil contains a portion of sand. The wood is worthless when old. Both walnuts and chestnuts are generally planted in the park.
The fruit shrubs grown in gardens may be considered to include theelder, theberberry, and thefilbert, though these are frequently called trees. The elder and the berberry will grow anywhere, and require no particular care in their culture; the filbert is only a variety of the common hazel, and both are generally grown on the borders of walks, where they are planted fromfive to ten feet apart, according as they are to be trained upright or spreading. As the fruit is produced on the young shoots, the bush should be kept open and trained in the cup fashion, in order that the main branches may throw out short young wood. Filberts are propagated by sowing the seeds; and hazel trees by suckers, which they throw up in abundance.
Gooseberriesare generally propagated by cuttings, which strike easily; and they should be grown in soil which is well drained, and well manured by a coating of rotten dung being laid upon it every third year. The bushes should be planted in rows eight or ten feet apart, the plants being about six feet from each other. They should be pruned twice a year; in the winter to remove the branches not likely to produce fruit, and early in summer to remove those shoots that are not likely to ripen. The fruit is produced partly on the old and partly on the young wood, and it should be thinned when gathered green for pies and puddings, by taking only a few from each bush, instead of gathering all that may be wanted from one.
Currantsare raised from cuttings generally about a foot long, all the buds from which are taken off, except five or six at the top; and the cutting is then firmly fixed in the soil about six inches deep. The currant bears chiefly on spurs of the old wood, so that these only are generallyleft in the winter pruning. The currant is very hardy, and will grow in any soil or situation, even under the drip of trees.
Raspberriesalways bear on the young shoots, so that the art of pruning them consists in cutting out the old wood. They are propagated by suckers, and thrive best in a light rich soil, and an open situation.
Thecranberryis generally grown in moist soil or peat earth; but it may be grown in beds in the common garden like the strawberry. When cranberries are once planted they require no after care, except removing the runners when they extend too far.
Having now, I believe, told you a little, though I confess not much, of all the kinds of trees and shrubs usually grown in this country for their fruit, I have only to say a few words of strawberries and tart-rhubarb, and then I think I shall have given you all the information you will require for so small a garden as yours.
Strawberriesare rather difficult plants to give directions for, as they succeed apparently equally well with different kinds of treatment. It is certain, however, that they like a deep rich soil, well manured; and that, when a new strawberry bed is planted, the ground should be trenched at least two feet deep, and a good deal of rotten dung (the dung from an old hotbed isbest) should be mixed with the soil. Some persons make fresh strawberry beds every year, and some every third year; but strawberry beds will continue to produce for ten or twelve years, if a thick coating of decayed leaves be put on the bed every winter, and their remains forked into the bed in spring. When a new bed is to be formed, the strongest runners should be selected from the old plants; and they may be planted in beds containing three rows each, eighteen inches apart, the plants being about twelve inches apart in the line. Alpine strawberries may be raised from seed, and will fruit the first year. The Pine is an excellent strawberry for flavour, but Keen's seedling is the best for general use. The Hautbois requires a great deal of manure, and, as the male and female flowers are on different plants, nearly one half the plants in a bed are unproductive. Strawberries grow very well on banks facing the south or south-east, or on little terraces supported by walls, but in these situations they must be regularly watered twice a day. Strawberry plants never produce good fruit unless they have abundance of leaves, as shade is essential to the fruit being juicy and of a good flavour. Most gardeners take off the runners in August or September, and plant them in nursing beds for the winter, transplanting them to their proper beds in March.
Tart-rhubarbis propagated by seed or by division of the root, but the former method is generally considered the better. When beds of rhubarb are to be formed, the soil should be deeply trenched and richly manured, and the seed then sown in drills two feet apart for the scarlet rhubarb, and three feet apart for the larger kinds. When the plants come up they should be thinned out so as to leave the plants about the same distance apart as the rows are asunder. A few leaves may be gathered from each plant the second year, but it is generally considered to strengthen the plants if no leaves are gathered from them till the third year. Rhubarb may be forced in the open garden by putting pots over it, in the same manner as is done for sea-kale; or the plants may be taken up and potted, after which they may be placed in the kitchen near the fire and covered with matting or old carpet, being watered every day with warm water.
Digging is the first operation necessary in gardening, as nothing can be done in the way of cultivating the soil till it has been first pulverised, so as to allow the fine delicate roots of the plants to penetrate among its particles. It is also necessary that the air should have access to the roots of plants, as they depend for their nourishment almost as much on the carbon and other elements which they absorb from the air, as on those which they obtain from the soil. On this account it is necessary, not only to dig the soil well before any thing is planted in it, but also to fork it over occasionally whenever its surface becomes hardened and impervious to the air and rain. When manure is applied also, it is customary to dig it into the soil; and ground is occasionally trenched in order to bring up fresh soil to the surface, whenever the surface soilappears to be exhausted and to want renewing. The operation of digging requires considerable strength, as it requires first to be able to force the spade into the ground, and then to raise as much earth as will lie upon the blade and turn it over. It is, however, a fine healthy occupation, not only from its calling the muscles into vigorous action, but from the smell of the new earth being particularly invigorating; and you might have a lady's spade, with a smooth willow handle, that will enable you to dig a small bed without much difficulty. You will be surprised, however, to find, if you try the experiment, that there is an art in digging as well as in every thing else; and that it is extremely difficult, both to dig in a straight line, and to make the ground look even tolerably level after it has been dug over.Raking, though it appears so simple, also requires considerable skill to make the ground look smooth and perfectly level.Forkingis not so difficult, as it merely requires to have the fork pressed into the ground, and then pulled backwards and forwards, so as to loosen a portion of the soil without turning it over.
There are two sorts ofhoes: thedraw-hoe, which is used for drawing up the earth to any plant that is to be earthed up; and thethrust-hoe, which is principally used for destroying weeds. There are many varieties of both these forms,but the common kinds, I think, you will find the best. The most useful instrument, however, for you will be atrowel, and this you will find indispensable, as, without it, you will not be able either to transplant or pot a single plant. Some persons use what is called atransplanter, to enable them when they take up a plant, to remove it without disturbing the roots; but, as far as my own experience goes, I think these instruments are more troublesome than advantageous, and I prefer using a trowel. You will also want abudding-knife, and a sharp knife for making cuttings; and you will find a pair ofpruning-shearswith a sliding-joint extremely useful for cutting off dead wood, or removing any badly-placed branches.
Plants are propagated either by seed, or by division. When they are to be propagated byseeds, the ground must be either dug or forked over and made level. It is then firmed by beating it with the flat part of the spade, rolling it, or in any other manner; and the seeds are scattered over it, if they are to be sown broad-cast, and covered with earth the same thickness as themselves. When seeds are to be sown in drills, a narrow furrow must be made, by drawing a stick along the ground in a straight line, or in any other way so as to make the bottom of the furrow firm, and the seeds must be dropped into it at regulardistances. The furrow is then filled in, so that the seeds may be covered to the same depth as their own thickness; and the earth is slightly pressed down, and afterwards raked over. Larger seeds are sown in separate holes made by a dibber, as are the sets of potatoes; but the after processes are the same in all. Bulbs and tubers are also planted in the same manner; taking care that the eyes of the tubers are uppermost, and the flat part of the bulbs downwards. In planting Ranunculus tubers the claws should be downwards, and if any are broken they should be cut off smooth with a sharp knife.
There are several ways of propagating plants by division, viz. taking off suckers, making layers and cuttings, and budding, grafting, and inarching.
Propagation bysuckersis very simple. Many plants have a portion of their stems under ground, from the buds in which new upright stems rise into the air and fibrous roots descend into the ground. It is thus only necessary to divide the horizontal underground stem by the spade, or by opening the ground till the stem is found, and then cutting it through with a knife, and to take up the young plant which has sprung from it carefully and without injuring its roots, cutting off the remains of the old plant before the new one is replanted. Suckers sometimes spring from the collar of the old plant, and when this is the case they requiremore care in removing them, to avoid injuring the plant from which they spring.
Runnersare suckers proceeding from horizontal stems above ground, andoffsetsare the suckers of bulbs, as they proceed either from the root-plate, which is the compressed stem of the hyacinth, or from the main body of the corm, which is, in fact, the stem, as in the crocus.
Layersare produced by imitating the process of nature in making suckers; as, in making layers, a joint of the upper stem is buried in the ground, and kept moist to induce it to throw out roots; the buried stem being generally slit or twisted at the joint, so as to prevent the return of the sap, and to occasion it to expend itself in roots instead of circulating in its ordinary way through the branch. As soon as a layer has produced roots it becomes the same as a sucker, and may be treated in exactly the same manner.
Cuttingsare portions of a plant cut off just below a bud, and buried in the earth to induce them to throw out roots; which is done most effectually by exposing them to warmth and moisture, and shading them from the light, as that has a tendency to draw the sap towards the leaves, whilst warmth and bottom heat dispose the cuttings to throw out roots. On this account cuttings always strike most readily when the pots, in which they are planted, are plunged into ahotbed, and covered closely with a hand-glass. It must be observed in making cuttings, that they ought in most cases to consist of two buds; from the lower one of which the new roots are to spring, while the upper one is to produce the stem of the new plant. Cuttings must always be made quite firm at the base; and they generally strike most readily when the bottom of the cutting, which is cut through a joint and quite flat, rests against a piece of the drainage, or even the bottom of the pot, being in both cases pressed so closely against its earthenware support as to exclude the air. When a cutting is made, most of the leaves are removed, as the evaporation from them is greater than the plant can support while it is without roots. Cuttings of succulent plants are generally laid upon a shelf to dry before they are put into the ground, as if this is not done the wounded part is apt to become rotten, and to decay. Cuttings are generally struck either in sand or very light earth, in order that the young roots may meet with as little obstruction as possible.
Pipingsare portions of pinks and carnations pulled asunder at a joint instead of being divided with a knife, and afterwards planted, and treated exactly like cuttings.
Buddingis taking off a single bud or eye, called a scion, from one plant, and inserting it in another plant called the stock. This operation is generallyperformed in July or August. In the first place, a slit is made on each side and above and below a leaf which has a healthy bud in its axil, that is, just between the foot-stalk of the leaf and the branch on which it grows. The bark of the branch containing the bud and the leaf is then detached from the branch, by passing under it the bone handle of the budding-knife, which is made flat and thin on purpose, and raising it gradually up. If the bark has been raised carefully and properly, there will generally be a little bit of wood just under the bud, which must be carefully taken out, so that not the smallest particle of wood is left on the under side of the bark. A long slit is then made in the bark of the stock, with a cross slit at the top, and, the bark being gently raised at each of the corners made by the intersection of the long slit and the horizontal slit, the piece of bark with the bud attached is carefully introduced under the bark of the stock, which is closed over it, and bound tightly with a bit of bast mat, in order that the bark containing the new bud may be pressed as closely to the wood of the stock as possible. If the operation has been properly performed and the bud was a healthy one, it will soon begin to swell; and, when it does so, it will push off the foot-stalk of the old leaf that was taken off with it, so that when this foot-stalk falls it is a sign the bud has taken. When the budhas developed itself into leaves, the ligature should be loosened to allow the branch of the stalk to expand. The operation of budding requires a good deal of nicety: first, to avoid wounding the wood of the stock in slitting the bark; and, secondly, to make the bark of the scion fit quite closely to the wood of the stock, as, if the least vacuity is left between them, the bud will wither instead of beginning to grow.
Graftingdiffers from budding, in the scion consisting of several buds instead of one. It is also performed at a different time of the year; as March and April are the proper seasons for grafting, whereas budding is never performed till after Midsummer. In grafting, sometimes the head of the stock is cut off, and sometimes only the branch, and the scion is selected according to the size of the part to which it is to be attached. When the scion and the stock have been both chosen, they are cut slantingly, so that one may fit into the other; and care being taken that the bark and soft wood of the two unite, at least on one side, the two pieces are bound together, and the ligature is covered with what is called grafting clay, that is, a mixture of stiff clay, with a fourth part of fresh horse-dung, and a small quantity of cut hay. Another kind of grafting clay is composed of equal parts of stiff clay and cow-dung. It is of very little consequence whether the scion and the stockare of the same diameter, provided they are so cut and fitted, as to leave no vacuity between them, in those parts where the union is to be effected; and, to keep them quite closely attached to each other, it is customary to form a tongue, or little projecting part, by making a slanting cut in the scion, and to make a corresponding slit in the stock to receive it. There are several kinds of grafting; but that which I have described, and which is called whip or tongue grafting, is the most common, and it is always performed with the firm or ripened wood. There is, however, another kind of grafting, now becoming common in the nurseries, which is performed with the young, or unripened wood, and this is calledherbaceous grafting, because the parts of the stem with which it is performed are as succulent as the stems of herbaceous plants. In this kind of grafting, the shoot of the stock is broken off about two inches below the point, and all the leaves are taken off except two, one on each side, which are left to draw up the sap. The stock is then split with a very sharp knife between the leaves left on it; and, the base of the scion having been cut into a wedge-shape, it is fixed into the cleft made in the stock, which is bound tightly up with strips of cerecloth, or coarse cotton cloth covered with grafting wax, made of equal parts of turpentine, bees' wax and rosin, with a little tallow, melted together.Sometimes plants, especially camellias in pots, are grafted in this manner, and placed in a hothouse under hand-glasses, and the pot surrounded with moss, to keep the cutting as close as possible. This mode of grafting is of French origin, and it is calledla greffe etouffée.
Inarchingbears considerable resemblance to layering, as it is performed without separating the part which is to form the new plant. A branch is bent from a living plant, and partly cut through, and, the tongue thus formed being introduced into a slit made in another plant, the two are bound closely together. It is obvious that this mode of grafting, which is called inarching, can only be practised with plants in pots, as it requires the two plants that are to be united to be brought close together, and to remain so till the graft has taken effect.
You must observe that, in all kinds of grafting and budding, there must be a considerable degree of resemblance between the scion and the stock, for the graft to take effect. Thus, though one stoned fruit may be grafted on another, such as the almond or peach on the plum, a stoned fruit cannot be grafted on a kerneled fruit, such as a plum on an apple or a pear. In the like manner, an apple cannot be grafted on an orange, which was formerly supposed to be done, to produce a pomegranate; nor a rose on a black currant, whichit was formerly believed would produce a black rose. It is true that plants are sometimes sold in Italy which appear to have been unnaturally grafted, such as a rose upon an orange; but it will be found, when closely examined, that the pith of the orange has been artfully scooped out, and the stem of the rose tree introduced into the hollow space thus formed, through a hole made in the stem close to the root. In this way the two plants may appear to be one for some time; as the stem of the orange tree will live and produce leaves two or three years after the pith is removed, provided the operation has been performed carefully.
The other operations of gardening arepruningandtraining, and, as I have already spoken of these when treating of the different trees, I have only to add here that the great art in pruning is to give a clean sloping cut without bruising the bark, as nature will make an effort to cover the wound if the edges of the bark are left in a healthy state. The use of a sloping cut is, to prevent the water from lodging on a wounded part. Trees should never be cut in a hard frost; and as little as possible in summer, as every branch taken off while the plant is in a growing state excites it to make fresh efforts to throw out new shoots. Many persons look over their trees in summer, and rub off all the buds which they think likely to produce useless shoots; and thispractice, which is called disbudding, is a very good one, as it prevents the tree from wasting its strength unnecessarily. The principal object to be attained in training a fruit tree is, to make the plant produce as much fruit as possible; and for this purpose the branches are bent backwards and forwards to cause obstructions in the sap, as it is only from places where there is an accumulation of sap that flowers and fruit are produced. Another object in training standard trees is to let the air into the centre of the tree, so that it may ripen the wood; and a secondary object in training trees against a wall is, that every part of the wall may be covered.
I cannot quit the subject of gardening without saying a few words onmanures. The object of manuring ground is, to supply the soil with certain properties which are necessary for the nutrition of the plants, and this is done partly by mixing with it some kind of animal or of vegetable manure, and partly by adding some earth, in which the soil of the garden may be deficient. The new manures which have lately been so fashionable are of both kinds: guano is the dung of sea birds, which has been accumulating for ages on islands off the western coasts of Africa and South America; and nitrate of soda and Humphrey's compound are mineral substances which are very efficacious in promoting vegetation. Thebest vegetable manure is formed from decayed leaves, and this is a manure which may always be used with perfect safety; whereas the others are very injurious if used in too huge a quantity.
No kind of animal manure should be used in a garden (except for making hotbeds) till it is thoroughly decayed and all fermentation is gone off; as while it is in process of decay the gases it evolves are decidedly hurtful to plants. Those manures which abound in nitrogen, such as stable manure and the dung of birds, are the strongest and most dangerous; as if used incautiously they will blacken and shrivel up the leaves of the plants to which they are applied. Guano and pigeon's dung are very much alike in their properties, and both are of an extremely caustic nature; so that they should only be used in very small quantities, or be very much diluted. One ounce of guano to a gallon of water is a common proportion; or the guano may be mixed with six or seven times its own bulk of loam, peat, or charcoal, and dug into the ground before the crops are sown: if applied afterwards as a top dressing, it should be either in wet weather, or the soil should be well watered. Charcoal is very efficacious in some cases, but it appears variable in its action; as sometimes it produces scarcely any effect. Nitrate of soda and saltpetre act principally by supplying a particular kind of earth to plants that are inwant of it, and of course will not suit all plants; but they are also of service in keeping the earth moist, and this, when not carried to an excess, is always useful.
When it is wished to keep plants constantly in a growing state, the soil should be rendered rich, and the plants should also be watered frequently, so as never to suffer the soil to become quite dry; equal care being taken to keep it free from stagnant water, which would rot the roots. When, however, the plant is to be hardened, to stay out the winter, it should be kept as dry as possible, and no manure should be applied for some time previously to the cold weather setting in. Nothing is less generally understood than the use of manures. They are in fact food; and should not be given to plants in excess, any more than children should be crammed with food. Starving and repletion should both be carefully avoided; and the great art of the cultivator is shown in supplying plants with food only when they need it. Too much water will sometimes produce leaves and stems instead of fruit and flowers; and shoots of great luxuriance very frequently do not ripen, and are killed by the first frost.
After telling you how to grow fruit, I must next tell you how to keep it. A properfruit-roomshould be fitted up with broad shelves, or wooden trays with rims in front to prevent thefruit from falling off, and divided into compartments for the different kinds. There is generally a large table in the centre for sorting the fruits, and a thermometer should be hung on one side to regulate the temperature. According to Dr. Lindley, the essential points for a fruit-room are, "a low and steady temperature; dryness to a certain point, for apples are found to keep best in a rather damp atmosphere; and exclusion of the external air:" to this he adds, that it is necessary to keep the fruit in comparative darkness, to prevent it from becoming shriveled and ripe prematurely; that the temperature of the room should not be much above 40°; and that the shelves should be of white deal, as that wood does not give an unpleasant taste to the fruit.
Fruits keep best when laid separately, so as not to touch each other; and sometimes pears may be kept by packing them in fern, and grapes by packing them in jars in sawdust. Walnuts and chestnuts should be kept in rather a moist place, and covered with fern to exclude the air as much as possible, as they are much injured if they are kept too dry.
I may here mention that when sweet chestnuts are sent to the table, they ought always to be boiled first, and roasted afterwards; as, if roasted without previously boiling, it is scarcely possible to cook them sufficiently to make them wholesome,without burning them. After they have been boiled, before they are put down to roast, care must be taken to prick the skins; as, if this is neglected, the chestnuts will fly about in all directions as soon as the outer skin becomes parched.
I am delighted, my dear Annie, to find that you are fond of riding. There is something noble and invigorating in the exercise. If your horse is tractable and docile, you will soon begin to consider him as your friend; and if he is refractory, you will feel a pride in being able, by skill, to conquer a powerful being possessing strength so superior to your own. I like to see a lady ride well and fearlessly; and, in short, the only drawback I can find to the pleasure your letter gave me is, the somewhat mysterious malady of your horse, on which you consult me. You say that, though a fine spirited creature when you are onits back, it appears dull and stupid when first brought out, and that it shuffles against things as if it were half-blind. You say you have consulted a veterinary surgeon, who says that there is no disease in the eyes, so that I suspect the evil lies where you have probably never thought of looking for it, viz. in the stable. If your stable is dark, the mystery is explained at once; and I think it is very probable that this may be the case, as you tell me that your horse is kept in a stable apart from the rest, that it may be taken more care of.
I believe, indeed, that more of the diseases of horses depend on thestablethan is generally imagined. If the stable be dark the eyes are affected; and if it be damp the horse is liable to catch cold; and coughs, inflammation of the lungs, and finally broken wind, are the results. Another evil in many cases arises from the stable that you would not readily think of, and that is, if the doorway is too small and the posts on each side of it sharp-edged, the hair of the horses is frequently injured in going in and out. Horses are, in fact, much more delicate than is generally imagined, and many of the diseases with which they are afflicted arise from a want of proper attention to their comforts. On this account, the first thing in the management of a horse is, to see that its stable is spacious, light, well aired, and dry. Inattending to the latter point, however, care should be taken that it is kept dry by a drain in the centre and at the back of the stall, and that the paving is as nearly level as possible. It has for some years past been the fashion to make the pavement of stables slope so considerably towards the door that the horse's fore-feet stand much higher than his hind feet; and this is not only a most uncomfortable position for a tired horse, but it is very apt to bring on diseases in the fore-feet and legs. It is also of great importance that the stalls should be large enough to allow each horse room to turn himself, and to lie down comfortably in any position he may fancy. We all know what a comfort it is when we are tired, to stretch ourselves out how we like; and a hunter turned into a loose box, after a hard day's work, will often be found lying with his legs stretched out like a dog, instead of having them doubled under him as horses are obliged to sleep when confined in narrow stalls.
It is a great advantage when there is a wide space between the stalls and the door, as it prevents the wind from blowing directly upon the horses every time the door is opened. It is also best not to have the stable in an exposed situation, but to have it so placed that it may be sheltered by some other building from the north and east winds. The loftiness of the stable is another very importantpoint. It is the custom in many places to have the hay-loft over it; but this is bad in every point of view, as it not only makes the ceiling of the stable low, and by confining the air renders the horses liable to take cold every time the door is opened, but the dust and seeds from the hay are apt to fall from the loft whenever the horse is supplied with hay, and to injure him by getting into his eyes. I am fully aware when I am saying this, that you can neither alter the position of your stables nor make them larger, without more expense being incurred than your husband would perhaps approve of. I do not, however, think that he would object to having an additional window made, or to adding to the height of the stable by removing the floor of the loft, particularly if there be any small room adjoining the stable in which the hay can conveniently be kept.
A great deal, also, may be done by cleanliness. Whenever the horse is out, the stable should be thoroughly cleaned and the windows opened, and whenever there is an opportunity the rack and manger should be well cleaned and scoured with a brush. It is, however, important that the stable should be dry when the horse returns to it. In some places stables are warmed by flues or hot-water pipes, or by a fire being kept in the harness-room adjoining; and, when there are no means of this kind, the stable may bekept dry by having a lamp constantly burning in a lantern suspended from the roof. It is, indeed, said that any stable, however damp, may be dried with this expedient in twenty-four hours; and that a similar lamp hung in the harness-room will be sufficient, without fires, to keep the harness uninjured for years. A great deal of the comfort and health of your horses must, however, depend on the care and attention of your grooms. Nothing is more injurious to a horse than to be kept standing on his litter all day. To use the words of an exceedingly clever writer on the subject (Sir George Stephens), "it makes the hoof brittle; dries up the sole, and destroys its elasticity; cankers the frog, and is a common cause of grease and swelled legs. If, on the other hand, the dung is regularly removed, and the dry and clean straw carefully separated every morning, and placed under the manger till wanted, the stable is free from unpleasant smells, and about half the quantity of clean straw will be consumed."
Horses should always becleanedin the open air, if the weather will permit; as they frequently hurt themselves against their stalls when cleaned in the stable, and sometimes acquire a habit of crib-biting. Many horses have skins so fine as to be unable to bear the use of the common curry-comb, and these horses should be cleaned with brushes the bristles of which are of unevenlength. Good cleaning is a most essential point in the management of a horse; and the horse ought to be so clean as not to soil your hand, or your pocket-handkerchief, if drawn over his back. Another point to be attended to, after a horse has had unusual work, is, to let the groom rub his legs down well, particularly his back sinews: each leg should be rubbed for at least ten minutes. When horses come in warm, with their legs very dirty, they should not be washed immediately, but they should be rubbed dry with straw, and only some of the dirt taken off with a dry brush. The feet should, however, be examined, and any stones that may be in should be picked out, and the soles of the feet washed. A horse, when very hot, should also not be covered with a cloth, till he has been rubbed dry with straw. Washing the legs of a horse with cold water, when the horse comes in hot and dirty, is sure to give a sudden chill; and putting on a cloth, while the hair of a horse is wet from the effects of violent exercise, sends the perspiration in, and is sure to lay the foundation for disease. When a horse is very hot, he should be rubbed for half an hour before any cloth is put on at all; and then, if the heat of the horse break out into moisture again, the horse should have a second rubbing, after which he should be covered with another quite dry cloth. The coat of a horse generally becomesthick and shaggy in winter, and when it does so the horse may with perfect safety be clipped, and indeed it will be an advantage, as the hair, if short, is much easier dried when wet, and can be more thoroughly cleaned. Great care, however, must be taken to protect a horse when newly clipped from cold; and, should the weather be severe, the horse not only ought to have an additional cloth on in the stable, but his legs may be bandaged with flannel rollers. The feet of a horse should be stopped every other night with a mixture of clay and cow-dung, and this, and anointing the hoof with tar in hot weather, will keep the horny part of the foot moist and elastic. A great improvement has taken place in shoeing horses within the last few years, by interposing a thick piece of leather, and, in some cases, of India rubber, between the iron shoe and the hoof of the horse.
Horses should always be fed and exercised regularly. If the hay be cut, less will be wasted; and if the oats be bruised and mixed with cut straw, three feeds a day will generally be sufficient instead of four. If the servants complain of the additional labour of bruising the oats, a mill may be procured for that purpose, which will cost a mere trifle, and the turning of which will afford employment for the poor. It is seldom advisable to give a horse that is only moderately workedbeans, but it should never be stinted in its water, except when going out. If horses are kept short of water, they will drink too much when they have an opportunity; and thus often injure their wind. When a horse is over-tired, and refuses his corn, he will frequently take a mash of oatmeal and water, particularly if slightly warm, and nothing can be better for him.
When a horse is slightly indisposed, I would not advise you to put him immediately into the hands of a farrier. Most country farriers are ignorant people, who have a certain set of recipes which have been handed down from father to son, and who are as far behind the present age as Culpeper, when he recommends ointments of certain herbs gathered under Mercury to be kept in every house, as a sovereign remedy for all complaints, even broken bones. It is said that horses thrive most if they have always a lump of salt and another of chalk in the manger. Many persons turn a horse out to grass to cure a cough, but this generally only makes matters worse, if the horse has been previously kept in the stable. When a horse has taken cold, he may frequently be cured by stopping his corn and giving him mashes of thin gruel and bran for a few days. Slight feverish symptoms, which often attend a cold, and are known by the nose feeling hot, the eyes looking dull, and the coat rough, with loss ofappetite, may generally be cured by similar means, with a dose of two drachms of aloes for a horse, and somewhat less for a pony. If these means are not sufficient, the horse may be bled; but, if it still continues ill, a veterinary surgeon must be sent for. For a bruised leg or a light strain a common bread poultice may be applied; a large coarse stocking being drawn over the leg first, and then the poultice put into it so as to lie on the diseased part. Should a horse break his knees, the part ought to be washed with warm water and a sponge, to remove any dirt or gravel; and then a little unsalted lard or butter should be applied, with a little powdered alum in it if the wound be large; and, taking care to make the hair lie as smooth as possible, a bit of linen should be laid on the place, and kept on with a knee-cap, not tied too tight. If the knee be bruised as well as cut, a poultice should be applied, and changed two or three times a day; but on no account use gunpowder, which is a favourite remedy for broken knees with ignorant people, as it only irritates the wound.
On no account keep a vicious horse. Do not believe what horse-jockeys or grooms may tell you of it being only play, or being easily cured. It is true that horses often become vicious through the teasing of grooms; but vice, when once shown, is never thoroughly eradicated. Sir George Stephenshas some excellent observations on this subject. "A horse does not understand a jest: tickling him or pinching him; worrying him in the stall; sometimes coaxing and then scolding him; dressing him when feeding; pushing him with the fork; all play of this sort leads to retort, which, when it becomes habitual, is incurable vice." Other faults in horses arise from the follies of riders. "A horse should be mounted steadily, but promptly; and when mounted, should be allowed to walk away quietly for the first hundred yards: instead of this, nothing is more common than to see a man, as soon as his foot is in the stirrup, apply the spur and check the curb, to show off his horse's spirit. Thus he becomes irritable and impatient the instant he is led out of the stable, and sometimes acquires a habit of rearing and plunging before the rider is well settled in his seat. Some thoughtless blockheads can never pass a carriage (particularly if there are ladies in it) without the same ambition of display; and hence the animal views the approaching carriage as a forerunner of punishment, and resists every attempt to pass it." In harness horses frequently acquire a habit of gibbing or swerving to one ride from inattention to the collar; as if it galls the shoulder, or presses on the windpipe, which it often does when not made expressly for the horse that wears it, "he resists the draught;and, when punished for resistance, he rears or kicks; and, if he thus vanquishes a timid driver, he will repeat the trick till it becomes habitual." Many young men take pride in urging a horse forward, and applying the curb at the same time to make the horse collect himself, andpioffor make thecoubrette; or, in other words, prance and rear. If, when the horse is in this state, the right rein be pressed, the horse willpassage, that is, cross his legs, and go sideways to the right, with his head bending towards the right; but if the left rein be pressed also, though not quite so strongly as the right, the horse will perform the manœuvre called theépaule en dedans, and will go sideways to the left, bending and looking towards the right. But without going through all the terms of themanège, I may observe that most riding-masters advise their pupils to make the horse feel the rein; and this, which is called the bearing orappui, is of the utmost consequence in good horsemanship. There should indeed be a proper understanding, if I may use the term, between the horse's mouth and the rider's hand, so as to make the horse obey the slightest indication from the rein. All the movements of guidance in a good rider should indeed be so slight and gentle as to be almost imperceptible, there should be nothing approaching to jerking or pulling; but the horse should seem instinctively to obey the rider's will. It is a very good plan to accustomyour horse to your voice, and to pat or caress him and give him occasionally an apple, a piece of bread or a carrot, speaking kindly to him at the same time. Horses may indeed be taught as many tricks as dogs, and sometimes more. I have known several instances of shooting ponies learning to open gates; and I have heard of others who have been taught to pick up a handkerchief, a glove, or even a whip, in their mouths, and to turn their heads round with it, so as to give it to their rider.
Whenever you ride out, take care that your hair is combed smoothly off your face, and firmly twisted up behind; your hat should also fit properly, and be tied firmly under your chin, not merely for the comfort it will give you, but because, if either your hair or your hat should feel loose, and you should put up your hand to arrange them, you might touch the horse with your whip, or slacken your hold of the reins in such a manner as to expose yourself to the greatest danger.
It is hardly possible to give directions for holding the reins properly by words; as you would learn better in five minutes by being shown, than from a volume of descriptions. I may, however, advise you to take care to sit in the centre of your saddle, and not to hang by the left crutel of your pommel. You should also take care to keep your body erect, or slightly leaning backwards; as, ifyou allow yourself to lean forwards, you will not only have an awkward air, but be in danger of making your horse stumble, by your weight being thrown too much upon its shoulders. The reins look best when held only in the left hand, while the whip is held in the right, care being taken to carry it in such a manner as not to irritate the flank of the horse.
In modern side-saddles, the right-hand crutel of the pommel is made very small; but there is a third crutel added behind, nominally for assistance in leaping, but which is very useful in enabling a lady to keep her proper position in the saddle. The stirrup is now considered of little use, except to support the left foot, and many of the best riding-masters make their pupils ride without one, and to put their arms behind them, while the master holds the longe and urges the horse to his speed. When a lady can do this she has learned the art of riding, and will be able to rise and fall with her horse without any apparent exertion, and as if the fable of the Centaur were realised, and the horse and his rider had become one body.
The preserving of a proper balance is the most difficult part of horsemanship, and it must be attended to in every movement that is given to the horse, in accordance with the laws of motion in mechanics. Thus, when the horse is urged forward, the body should lean forwards likewise; and whenthe horse is checked, the body should be bent backwards. A lady is said to have a good seat when she can see the right shoe of her horse in all his paces, by only bending slightly forwards; and when she has a good seat, particularly if she be courageous and have presence of mind, she will not easily be thrown. It is, however, proper to know what to do in cases of emergency. When a horse rears, the rider should loosen the rein, and press the weight of her body forward; and when a horse kicks, she should hold her body back and keep a tight rein. When a horse will keep turning round several times, he may generally be checked by pulling his head in the opposite direction to that in which he wants to turn; and, when a horse runs away, the best way is not to attempt to pull him in, but for the rider to direct all her energies to keeping her horse in the right course, and retaining her seat. When a horse shies it is from fear, and he should be patted and encouraged; and, when a horse stumbles, his rider should raise and support him by pulling in his head, and at the same time throwing her body back.
I do not know whether you have apony-carriage; but, if you have not, I would advise you to get one, as you would find it very useful in summer to drive round your park, and to pay visits to your neighbours. In a close carriageyou see very little of the scenery, and enjoy but little benefit from the air; whereas, in an open carriage, you have more enjoyment of the beauty of the country than even in walking; and you have every advantage from the air without running so much risk of taking cold, as you would do if you were to open the windows of a close carriage.Àproposto this, I have often wondered that no better means have yet been contrived of ventilating a close carriage than opening the windows, the draught from which is sure to give cold to some one. Surely a ventilator might be fixed in the roof, and a little shutter contrived to slide below it, when it was not wanted, which might be moved by a string inside the carriage. I have lately seen, in thecoupéof a French diligence in the South of France, a little opening just above the windows, which was filled in with doubletoile métallique, or wire cloth, so very fine as to admit but little light, and no perceptible air, and which was yet sufficient to prevent the glass from becoming covered with steam when all the windows were closed; and something of the kind might, I think, be generally adopted.
But to return to your pony-carriage. If you buy one, take especial care that it "runs light;" as it is not only a relief to the feelings to know that your horses have as light a weight to draw as possible, but you will find the motion of such acarriage infinitely more agreeable than that of one which is dragged along with difficulty. Besides, a pony-carriage that is intended only to carry a light weight, and to run over smooth turf or a good road, need not be built so strongly as a travelling carriage, which is to convey luggage as well as passengers, and which will be exposed to all the rough treatment it is likely to meet with at inns, as well as the shaking it will probably undergo from the different kinds of roads to be driven over. It is curious enough, however, that a carriage is rarely so much hurt by passing over pavement, however much it appears to shake, as it is by passing over bad roads, the surface of which is uneven, and by which the springs and braces are strained unequally. The French postilions are so well aware of this, that they always prefer rattling their carriages over thepavé, to driving on the side roads, however smooth and inviting they may look. In ancient times we are told the ladies had rods, calledpomelles, fixed in the roofs of their carriages, with a knob at the end to hold by, in order to steady themselves when the carriage was jerked about by the deep ruts in the roads. This was, I believe, about the time of Chaucer; and though we retain remnants of the custom in the lace-holders of carriages in modern days, our carriages are now too well hung to render anything of the kind really necessary.
You are perhaps not aware that a carriage is hung exactly on the same principle as a hammock is suspended in a ship at sea, viz. to substitute a gentle and regular swinging motion for an irregular jerking one. The principle of suspending carriages is as old as the time of the Saxons; but it has been reserved for modern days to break the force of inevitable jolts, by such a variety of pieces of elastic steel or springs, as to render travelling in a carriage as easy as gliding in a boat down a smooth river. Carriages, such as those we have now in use, are, as no doubt you know, quite a recent invention. You remember the celebrated letter of Henry IV., in which he says, "I cannot come to you to-day, because my wife is using my coach;" and even in the time of Charles II. there were but fifty coaches in London and Westminster. Now it would be rather difficult to count them, and it would even be a more tedious task than I should like to undertake, to enumerate their kinds. I shall, therefore, content myself with mentioning the points that are of most importance in selecting a carriage.
The first thing to be examined is, whether it possesses proper elasticity; and this is generally tried by having the carriage shaken on its springs, and observing whether it appears rigid or yielding to the vibrations of the motion. All carriages ought to be built of ash, which is atonce the most elastic and the toughest of our English woods; but, as it is rather expensive, cheaper woods are sometimes substituted. It is also known that the narrower the tread of a carriage is, that is, the shorter the axle-trees are, the easier will be the draught. The springs should then be examined, as the carriage runs lighter and is easier when the plates of the springs are of equal thickness, though the largest plate is frequently made much thicker than the rest. The stuffing of the carriage ought also to be examined, as, if the material with which it is stuffed be not left sufficiently loose to be elastic, a stuffed carriage will be nearly as hard and as uncomfortable to ride in as a carriage which was formed only of bare boards; and care should be taken that the seats are made sufficiently wide and low, and far enough apart not to cramp the legs.
It is a great point, as regards the appearance of a carriage, that the horses should be suited to it. The most elegant little carriage in the world would look ridiculous if drawn by a pair of heavy cart-horses; and when a very heavy-looking carriage is drawn by ponies, or very light blood-horses, the unpleasant impression produced by the incongruity is increased by a feeling of pain at seeing such noble creatures as horses subjected to labour unsuited for them.
Some persons usemulesfor drawing carriages,and they have the advantage of being sure-footed, besides which they are, I believe, much stronger, in proportion to their size, than horses. They, however, partake largely of the bad qualities derived from their asinine parentage, and are sometimes extremely obstinate and difficult to manage.
Thequaggaand thezebraare other animals of the ass kind, which are sometimes kept in parks for their beauty, and occasionally driven in carriages. However, as those who know them best say that they are generally wicked, treacherous, obstinate, and fickle in their disposition, I think the less a lady has to do with them the better.
After saying so much with regard to animals used for riding and drawing, I must not omit to mentionasses. Most persons residing in the country keep one or two of these useful animals, in order that they may be ready to do any kind of work that their proud rival, the horse, is unfit for. It is scarcely possible to imagine two animals bearing considerable resemblance to each other in form, more unlike in character and constitution. The horse, as an able writer on the subject says, "is proud, fiery, and impetuous; nice in his taste; and delicate in his constitution. The ass, on the contrary, is humble, patient, and contented with scanty and coarse food, which other cattle reject. He bears, with patience and fortitude, the most cruel treatment: yet he is more susceptible ofstrong attachment than the horse; has, apparently, more prudence and reflection; and is capable of a degree of education which would not be anticipated from the forlorn and dejected appearance which coarse food and harsh treatment have rendered habitual to him."
I think you told me in your first letter that you were very much struck with the kindness of your husband, who, having recollected that you had been accustomed to take asses' milk, had provided a she-ass for you. Now, if that she-ass has a foal, let me recommend you to try what can be done to improve it by good food and kind treatment. I do not mean that it should have three or four regular feeds of corn every day, like a horse; but if it is fed twice or thrice a day on cut hay and straw, mixed with a very few bruised oats, it will soon grow large and strong, and will display a degree of liveliness and spirit that those who only know asses in their degraded state would scarcely believe possible.
Though asses are proverbially hardy, warmth seems congenial to them, and it is a well-known fact, that in Persia and Arabia asses are noble and high-spirited creatures, fetching a higher price than horses, and generally preferred to them for the saddle. Even in Spain, they are frequently fifteen hands high, that is, as large as a good-sized horse; while in the north they aresmall, and by no means common. Till lately they were very seldom seen in either Scotland or Sweden, and they are unknown in Norway.
If you bring up your little donkey as I have advised, I think you will find it advantageous to have it regularly cleaned like a horse, and you need not be afraid of your groom hurting it with the curry-comb, as the skin of the ass is remarkably thick. It must, however, be broken in and regularly trained before you venture to ride it, as you will find it full of spirit. The usual age for breaking donkeys in is about three years, but, as yours will be rather precocious, I think you may begin when it is about two years old. Asses and mules are admirably adapted for mountainous countries, as their hoofs are long, and furnished with very sharp rims, leaving a hollow in the centre like the ring of a patten. The hoof of the horse, on the contrary, is round and nearly flat underneath.
It is the peculiar formation of the foot that renders mules so valuable in Spain, where there are so many mountain ridges to be climbed over; and I have been told that in Spain sixty guineas English is by no means an uncommon price to be given for a good mule. You must not form any idea of what your donkey will be from the specimens you have seen at watering places; for no doubt you remember what the Irishman saidof a Ramsgate donkey—"that it was the hardest-worked creature in the universe; for it was carrying angels all the day, and spirits all the night." Your donkey, on the contrary, will spurn the ground beneath him; and I expect, when I come to see you, to find you cantering over the downs upon it with your little dog Fair Star running by your side.
Haying mentioned your pretty little spaniel reminds me that I promised to give you some hints ondog management, and I think I cannot make a more useful conclusion to my letter.
In the first place, it is generally allowed by the learned in such matters, that whenever a dog becomes very fat, which lap-dogs are very apt to do, it is sure to have that distressing disease called thecanine asthma. How many poor dogs have I heard wheezing and panting with this complaint, and how earnestly have I longed to become their doctor! When the disease is of moderate standing, very frequently a little abstinence, and feeding regularly, but only at stated times, will give relief; but, if this is not enough, one grain of tartar emetic with two, three, or four grains of calomel, according to the size of the dog, will effect a cure.
Sore eyesare for the most part produced by some derangement of the stomach; and, for their cure, putting a stick of sulphur in some water within reach of the dog will generally be sufficient.The water should be changed every day, but the same piece of sulphur will do for months.
Almost all young dogs are liable to thedistemper, and it kills many. When seized with it before they are eighteen months old they generally die, but after that age it is much less likely to prove fatal. Most dog-doctors give a dose of tartar emetic and calomel, like that I have mentioned above, if they are called in while the disease is in its first stage; but, when it is attended with a kind of dysentery, they give balls made of prepared chalk, gum arabic, and conserve of roses, and the dog is fed on rice-milk. The best cure however is, I believe, a powder sold in the chemists' shops compounded especially for this disease; and you must observe, whatever means of cure may be adopted, it is essential during the whole progress of the complaint that the dog should be kept warm and well fed.
When dogs havefitsthey may generally be cured by throwing cold water over them, andinflammation of the lungsrequires bleeding.
Inflammation of the bowelsis generally incurable, as is likewisecanine madness; and in the latter case, of course, the dog should be killed as soon as possible. Should, however, any human being or any animal be bitten, the following remedy has been recommended to me by a highly valued friend, who had it from an eminent Frenchsurgeon. It is simply to mix two table-spoonfuls of fresh chloride of lime, in powder, with half a pint of water, and with this keep continually washing the wound. The chlorine evolved by this process is said to possess the power of decomposing the virus; but I hope and trust you may never have occasion to try its efficacy. Chloride of lime is, you know, wonderfully efficacious in preventing infection, and in dispelling noxious gases.
As I am partial tocats, I cannot resist saying a few words respecting them. Though originally the natives of warm climates, they are generally much more hardy than dogs. They like warmth, however, and are very powerfully affected by changes in the weather. You are, perhaps, not aware that there are four distinct races of cats; viz., the tabby, which includes the black cats, and which is nearest allied to the wild kinds; the tortoise-shell cat, which came originally from Spain, and the males of which are buff, with stripes of a darker hue; the white and light-coloured cats, which have reddish eyes and a greyish tint in their fur, and are descended from the Chartreuse breed; and the Angora cats, which are quite distinct from all the others, and are known by their long fur. The tailless cats of Cornwall and the Isle of Man belong to the Chartreuse breed, and they are the ugliest of their kind, asthe Angora cats are the handsomest. Cats are seldom ill, except from cold, which generally gets well without any particular care being taken of it; but when they have any serious disease it generally proves fatal.
I am very glad, my dear Annie, to hear such favourable accounts of your garden, and to find, by the inquiries you are beginning to make, that you really are taking a lively interest in country affairs. You say you are getting quite fond of your dairy; but that you cannot understand how it is that your cows produce so much less milk in the morning than they do at night, when there are exactly twelve hours between the milkings in both cases; as they are milked first at five in the morning, and again at five in the afternoon. I have no doubt from what you say, that your cows are kept in the cow-house during the night, and only turned out during the day, as this would account for the difference in the quantity of milk. But such a mode of management, though it saves trouble to the dairy-maid, who finds it much easier to milk the cows in the cow-house than in the open field, is bad for both the cows and the dairy; as the cows, after feeding on grass all day, cannot of course relish dry food at night, andwhenever they fast unnaturally very little milk is secreted.