H0R8E8 183 



raise colts, and with young horses before they are old enough 

 to sell to advantage. In this way the horses will be doing 

 double duty. The item of depreciation will be largely elim- 

 inated; also a part of the cost of feed, because at least a por- 

 tion of the feed fed to the mares will be paid for out of the 

 value of the colts. 



Fewer horses can often be kept, with little inconven- 

 ience in doing the farm work. When one realizes that it 

 costs $70 to $90 per year to keep a horse, he may find that 

 often an extra horse may be hired for a few days, during 

 seeding or harvest, cheaper than to keep one a whole year 

 when it is really needed but a very short time. 



Distribution of Horse Labor. — One can often greatly 

 reduce the demand for horse labor at special seasons, and 

 distribute it over a longer season, by following a diversified 

 system of farming. If a part of the farm is seeded to grass, 

 there is less plowing and seedmg to be done. If corn is raised 

 on a part of the land, instead of seeding it all to grain, the 

 seeding and harvesting periods are made longer; so the 

 same land can be handled with less horse labor. 



Have Plenty of Horses. — It is important, however, to 

 have plenty of good, strong horses w^th which to do the 

 farm work, because with good horses one can do more 

 work in a day than with poor ones and thus save man 

 labor, which is also costly. It is easier to keep good hired 

 men, if one has good horses. The good farm manager will 

 consider the question from both sides and act accordingly, 

 but he cannot act wisely unless he knows all the facts. 

 Questions: 



1. Name some of the items that must be considered in determin- 

 ing the cost of keeping a farm work horse. 



2. Give four ways by which the cost of horse labor may be reduced 

 on the farm. 



3. Give at least two reasons why plenty of good horses should 

 be kept on the farm. 



4. Why should horses be well bedded? Groomed? Shod? 

 Arithmetic: 



1. If a horse is fed 2 qts. of oats three times a day half the j'ear 

 and 4 qts., three times per day for the remainder of the year, how many 

 bushels of oats will he be fed in a year? How much are they worth at 

 35c. per bushel? 



2. If a horse is fed 15 lbs. of hay per day, how many tons will 

 he be fed in a year? How much is it worth at $6.00 per ton? 



