—; — THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. WfooUb to &flrtcultttre, horticulture, auB the ^ousehottr &rts. Agriculture is the nursing mother of the Arts. Tillage and Pasturage are the two breasts of the Xenopkon. State. SuMy. t'RANK: G. RUFFIN, Editor and Proprietof T. BAILIE, Publisher. Jv"ol. XV. RICHMOND, MAY, 1855. No. THE HOUSE. facts relating to the origin and characteristics of the horse, to which I will first invite your a Lecixt.j; i-.v Hon. Zadock Pratt, before THE MECHANICS" INSTITUTE, New YoRK. attention. The horse family is distinguished from all March 8, 1855. other animals by having an undivided hoof, a llliam Mites, Esq.. President of thr Insti-\ simple stomach, and from the position of the tule, in the. Chair. teats of the female. riends akd Fellow Citizens : It is divided into two classes : the common Mr. President,—In accepting your imi-j horse, with its varieties of workhorse, carriage. tion to address you this evening, I have se- hunter, and race horse; all of which have im- ao the subject portant peculiarities, which I shall mention; of my remarks, tLat | a ad that class, the type of which is oble animal, the Horse. i the corn- It is often said, that as woman holds the mon jackass, and which includes the Cjuagga! j rst place in the affections of man. an(* zebra, not found in this country, and. I the horse j olds the second; and so justly is his estima may say, not wanted either. on bestowed, that beautiful woman, so far Many conflicting opinions have been held om resenting this rivalry, joins with man in as to the country in which this valuable animal lowing the horse a high rank in her own originated, and two now have many adherents, tteem. all others having been given up. These two We cannot wonder at this, when we reinem- are Arabia and Egypt. For my own part, I er the immense amount of benefit which has am inclined to think that Egypt is undoubt- een derived from this valuable animal. A edly entitled to the palm, and all investigation ance at history assures us that improvement mh' confirms me in the belief. Without. the breed, of horses has kept even pace with taking up your time with the arguments on ic either side, march of civilization ; and until the various I will only say that the Sacred lalities of the horse were made available for Scriptures, in describing the early stages of ic wants of man, but little progress was made the world, mention the horse as being used in i the elevation of barbarous tribes to the Egypt ; while, in much more modern times, iportance of civilized nations. when Mahomet fought his battles in Arabia, If the horse has then exercised such an in- there was not a single horse in the camp, lence upou mankind in general, he is cer- proving their extreme scarcity, if not their inly worthy of your attention this evening total absence, in the country. \i I have the additional assurance of interest The horse is undoubtedly tlte most useful the fact that he has never before been made and manageable of all animals known to man. i subject of a lecture, to my knowledge. In gracefulness of carriage, dignity of motion. In the course of a long and active life, and in obedience to the will of his master, ho- liich has now extended over the space of is superior to every other quadruped. Livelv reescore years alloted to man, I have worn and full of high spirits, he is yet gentle and .t more than a thousand horses in my scr- tractable. Keen and ardent, he is more firm te, and a strong love for the subject has in- and persevering than any other animal, and iced me to give it more than ordinary atten- all these qualities especially fit him for tin- n. My remarks, therefore, will principally purposes to which man has applied him. He- the result of my own experience and obser- works patiently and steadily at the plough, or twn, with the exception of a few general in drawing the loaded carriage; he 'deports - Vor.. xv.- . IoO THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. himself with pride while whirling along the handsomest in the worid. Every attempt to light pleasure vehicle, or jingling the merry introduce them into any other country has bells of the quick moving sleigh. He some- failed, however. The celebrated Egyptian times dances with delight as he prances along horses were also ridden by the prophet Ma- with Ins martial rider on his back, and he en- homet and his four companions, on the night ters upon the race with as keen a zest as his of their memorable flight from Mecca, in the owner, seeming to exult in success, or, with year 622, and now known as the Hegira. downcast head, to experience shame in de- The Arabian horses are small, only ave- feat. Whilst ministering to so many multi- raging between thirteen and fourteen hands plied wants of man during life, his remains high, rather incUned to be lean, and in tra- are applied to many important branches of veling they rise higher from the ground than manufacture ; and though civilized nations other blood horses, and gather more quickly. make no use of his flesh, it is an important They are generally of a dappled grey, or dark item iu the food of many barbarian tribes, brown color, with a short black tail and mane. where it is considered a delicacy, and a spiri- They usually run wild, and even in that con- tuous liquor is made from the milk of the dition they possess the greatest mildness and mare, which is as eagerly sought after as is generosity of disposition. After they are do- the intoxicating wine by us. mesticated they are played with by the chil- And now let me give you my idea of a dren, have the most favored corner of the good horse. tent, and occupy a deservedly high place in He should be about fifteen and a half hands the affections of the family. This affection high ; the head light and clean made ; wide seems to be returned with more than ordinary between the nostrils, and the nostrils them- sagacity ; for it is authenticated that, the mas- selves large, transparent and open ; broad ter being in danger, the horse has put forth in the forehead ; eyes prominent, clear and every power to the utmost, and so strained his sparkling; ears, small, and neatly set on; endurance that on reaching a place of safety neck, rather short, and well set up ; large arm he has instantly yielded his life. They are or shoulder, well thrown back and high ; wi- usually captured by snares hidden in the sand, thers, arched and high ; legs, fine, flat, tbin by which the feet become entangled, and the j,nd small boned; body, round and rather terrified animal, falling to the ground, is made light, though sufficiently large to afford sub- an easy prey. Their amazing speed renders stance when it is needed ; full chest, affording this the only method by which they can be ample play for the lungs ; back, short, with taken. the hind quarters set on rather obliquely. The Persian horses resemble those of Ara- Any one possessing a horse of this make and bia in general appearance, though somewhat ippearance, and weighing eleven or twelve larger. They are esteemed less highly than hundred pounds, may rest assured that they the Arabian, though I think they have some have a horse of all work, and a bargain which points of superiority. is well worth getting hold of. The horses of Tartary are exceedingly I will now call your attention to different swift, even outstripping the antelope ; though varieties of horses in foreign countries, and in here their resemblance to favorite breeds our own. ceases entirety. They are large and heavy very in the shoulder, awkwardly The Egyptian horse is generally known by headed, low the name of the African barb. He exceeds made, and very ill-looking. When feeding, their number is placed on an eminence the Arabian in stature, and is principally re- one of the markable for the fullness and height of his as a sentinel, and on approach of danger shoulders and the drooping of his haunches. he starts off, the rest following like the wind. flight Mazeppa, lashed to the The most remarkable specimens of this tribe The fabled of is supposed to be are the celebrated " drinkers of the wind." back of a wild horse, among the wild herds of Tartary. They are wiry and fieshlerss, and shaped some- thing like the greyhound. It is related of one In Turkey, horses are held in the highest of these horses, that he once performed a esteem, which they well deserve, being of the journey of sixty miles, in the hottest period of most docile and affectionate disposition. They a burning African day, without the rider's arc the result of a cross between the African drawing, bridle, or allqvsdng him to relax his and Arabian, and are full of fire and life, withi speed a single instant, until the journey was a light make, splendid head, and great powers completed. The little African kingdom of of endurance. The tail of the horse is con- I Donkala is celebrated for a breed of horses of sidered an emblem of dignity in Turkey, from large size, which some have considered as the the fact that a Turkish army once lost its 1 ; ; THE SOU THE UN PLANTER.