Epidemic among Cattle.—This has broken out again in a most virulent shape in the north of England.
Journal of Agriculture.—Miller's Safety Reins.—These consist of gut covered with leather, and are, therefore, proof against fracture; and being round, and of neat light appearance, form a rather ornamental and sporting-like appendage to harness or saddle. They are mounted in this way:—They pass through a hook placed on the head of the harness-bridle, and through a leather loop on the head of the riding-bridle, and come down on each side of the neck. About middle-way down the neck is a coupling with two swivels, which receive the reins from the head, and they then pass through the dees of the harness, and through the turrets of the harness-saddle, and along to the front of the splashboard to a rein-holder, by which they are held always ready for use. The head of the horse and the turrets of the saddle being both higher than the throat, and the coupling being short, and having leave to traverse the reins on each side of the neck, it settles on that part of the throat at which the reins, on being pulled, exert the greatest force, when, the windpipe being forcibly compressed, the horse becomes affected in his respiration, and, therefore, stands still, or slackens his pace for breath, which he immediately obtains on the reins being slackened. Thus, feeling he is mastered, the horse shows no farther inclination to run off again; but in case he should renew symptoms of starting off, a few firm grips of the coupling on the throat will let him feel the futility of his attempts.
In explanation of the origin of the invention, Mr. Miller stated that he was a farmer's son, and that, in his youth, he used to be employed at times to assist in catching horses at grass, by means of surrounding them with a rope, borne by a person at each end of it. He remarked that, in this service, although no restraint was laid upon the horses when the rope rested on their chests, yet, whenever it could be got upon their throats, they instantly stood still and allowed themselves to be taken. The idea which this recollection suggested, of the probable effect of pressure on the throat in stopping a runaway horse, led Mr. Miller to the contrivance of his safety-reins. In his first experiment, the band which connects the reins under the neck was attached to the headstall by hooks and straps; but it has been considered an improvement to allow it to move freely upon the reins, on which it settles in contact with the throat, in a proper position for use when required.
Our communications with Mr. Miller impressed us favorably in regard to his contrivance; but, wishing to see it in practice we availed ourselves of an offer by him to afford us an opportunity of judging of it in operation. We, accordingly, on a day appointed, accompanied him in a carriage drawn by one horse, for the purpose of trial; and we witnessed as spectators, as well as made ourselves, repeated tests of the reins, with the horse going at a smart canter, both on a level road and on a descent, and we invariably observed that the tightening of the reins caused the horse immediately to stop. No injurious effect seemed to be produced on the horse by the interruption of his respiration. He always appeared to breathe freely, and to be ready to resume his work, as soon as the tension of the reins was relaxed.
Upon the whole, therefore, we consider Mr. Miller's invention to be a neat and simple, as well as, to appearance, an effective contrivance for the accomplishment of its important object, in the prevention of the disastrous accidents which not unfrequently occur from horses running away; and we think it reflects much credit on the ingenuity of its inventor.
Gardeners' Chronicle.—Rhododendron.—There is a variety of the Rhododendron ponticum growing here, which appears to be different from any of the others. It comes into flower about the same time as the others, but instead of unfolding its blossoms at the same rate as its neighbors, it only opens a few at a time, and continues long in flower. It did not cease flowering this season the whole month of August; consequently was nearly a month longer in bloom than the others. It has a southern exposure, and is sheltered from the north and east.
Blight on Grain from the Barberry.—In the Chronicle of August 19, under the head of "Vulgar Errors," we read as follows: "People still maintain that the barberry blights their grain." This is, nevertheless, a matter deserving attention; for in this, as in many other instances, a popular prejudice has been founded on truth, although the real cause has been often overlooked. Some writers have treated this subject with respect, and among them is Dr. Thornton. The latter says that the "leaves are very subject to the rubigo, which will infect the grain in the neighborhood." Here the secret is at once explained, and the aversion of farmers to the barberry-bush at once justified. The vulgar notion is, that the barberry exercises some evil agency upon grain within a certain distance, and accordingly farmers will never suffer it to grow near their fields. They are right as to the effect, but they attribute it to a wrong cause. I have seen some remarkable instances of grain perishing in a semicircle, in front of a barberry-bush, and extending a good way into a field. Any one who has but superficially noticed the barberry, must have observed that the leaves and young shoots of the shrub were covered with a peculiar kind of blight or mildew. Now it is by no means extraordinary that this should be carried by the wind into grain-fields, and infect the grain so as to cause its destruction. This is the true explanation of the mischief caused by the barberry to grain in its neighborhood. [This is the common explanation, but if any one will take the trouble to examine the parasitical plant which attacks the barberry, and that of grain, he will find that they are totally different things. One is the Æcidium Berberidis, and the other some species of Uredo or Puccinia, for it is sometimes one and sometimes the other. We should as soon believe that a hen's egg would be hatched into toads, as that the seed of an Æcidium would produce an Uredo or Puccinia. We are aware of the facts mentioned by Mr. Wighton, for we have seen them ourselves, and they form a curious problem yet to solve.]