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In winter, when the streets are slippery in the extreme, and horses are continually endangering the lives of those whom they are drawing or carrying, by falling down on the slippery stones, it is a common practice in England to rough the horse's shoes, that is, to raise a number of serrations on the bottom of the shoe by a chisel or file ; this, of course, quickly wears them out. In this country, where the same accident is just as liable to occur from the falling of horses on the hard snow, their shoes are calked, that is, steel spikes are worked on them, which take hold in the snow, and prevent slipping. This does some slight injury to the horse's hoof. "We now call attention to a combination of the calk with an elastic shoe, which has been invented by M. Anelli, of London, Eng., who calls it a " Crampon." The form and adjustment of it will be seen by the accompanying engraving. It can easily be taken off or on, and goes over the ordinary shoe. It has been tried on ice with heavy loads, and the horses had a good, steady hold ; the wear is very slight. The veterinary surgeons to the Queen of England, the Horse Guards, and the riding-master of the royal family, greatly approve of it, as does also the Veterinary College of Britain. Although there does not seem to be much necessity for such contrivances here, this winter, it is well to know of sucl* things when they are required. L'Inventon, published at Turin, in Piedmont, announces that the patent laws of that country are undergoing a liberal supervision by the government.
