288 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 May. 1918. 



(Two-year-Old Certificates expiring 30th June, 1918.) 



DRAUGHTS. 



It is pointed out by the secretary of tlie Pereheron Society of America 

 that exports of horses and mules have at last passed the million mark. 

 Official figures given out by the Department of Foreign and Domestic 

 Commerce show that during the 27 months ended 1st December, 1916, 

 1,029,961 horses and mules, valued at £45,196,240, were exported from 

 the United States. Most of these went directly to the European war 

 territory. Purchases are continuing at a heavy rate. 



A member of a firm which has sold more than 70,000 horses annually 

 for the last two years estimates that the prices which farmers realized 

 for the horses on the farm were substantially as follows: — Cavalry 

 horses, £24 per head ; French artillery horses, £29 5s. ; British artillery 

 horses, £34 7s. 6d.; draught horses weighing more than 1,650 lbs., £44 

 15s. to £50. Horses from 1,000 to 1,100 lbs. in weight have brought 

 farmers £24 each, but one cross of draught horse blood on the same mare 

 that was used to produce this light cavalry horse would have i^roduced a 

 horse ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 lbs. in weight, thus raising the value 

 from £24 to £29 5s. or £34 7s. 6d. per head. One cross of draught blood 

 increased the value of the progeny from light-weight mares from £7 to 

 £10, and a second cross on the half-blood mares from £7 to £10 more. 

 In the judgment of the most experienced market men, fully 75 per cent, 

 of the horses sold abroad for artillery and transport work have been 

 grade Percherons. — Producers' Review, April, 1917. 



