HEAVY DRAUGHT. 41 



fens of Lincolnshire, and few of them are less than seventeen nanus hii^h 

 at two and a half years old, Neither tlie soil, nor the produce of tlie soil, 

 is better than in other counties ; on the contrary, much of the lower part 

 of Lincolnshire is a cold, hungry clay. The true explanation of thp 

 matter is, that there are certain situations better suited than others to 

 ditferent kinds of farming and the breeding of different animals; and thai 

 not altogether depending on richness of soil or pasture. The principal art 

 of the farmer is to find out what will best suit the soil, and the produce of it. 



A dray-horse should have a broad breast, and thick and upright shoul- 

 ders ; (the more upright the collar stands on him the better;) a low tore- 

 hand, deep and round barrel, loins broad and high, ample quarters, thick 

 fore-arms and thighs, short legs, round hoofs, broad at the heels, and 

 soles not too flat. The great fault of the large dray-horse is, his slow- 

 ness. This is so much in the breed, that even the discipline of the 

 ploughman, who would be better pleased to get through an additional rood 

 in the day, cannot permanently quicken him. Surely the breeder might 

 obviate this. Let a dray-mare be selected, as perfect as can be obtained. 

 Let her be put to the strongest, largest, most compact, thorough-bred 

 horse. If the produce be a filly, let her be covered by a superior dray, 

 horse, and the result of this cross, if a colt, will be precisely the animal 

 required to breed from. 



The largest of this heavy breed of black horses are used as dray-horses. 

 The next in size are sold as waggon-horses; and a smaller variety, and 

 with more blood, constitutes a considerable part of our cavalry, and is 

 likewise devoted to undertakers' work. 



All our heavy draught-horses, and some even of the lighter kind, have 

 been lately much crossed by the Flanders breed, and with evident improve- 

 ment. Little has been lost in depth and bulk of carcase; but the fore- 

 hand has been raised, the legs have been flattened and deepened, and very 

 much has been gained in activity. The slow heavy black, with his two 

 miles and a half an hour, has been changed into a lighter, but yet exceed- 

 ingly powerful horse, who will step four miles in the same time, m ith 

 perfect ease, and has considerably more endurance. 



THE DRAY HORSE. 



This cut is the portrait of a favourite dray-horse belonging to Messrs. 

 Meux, and painted by Mr. Ward, R. A., to whose portfolio we hope fre 

 D 



