26 BREEDING. 



kingdom of Ireland, where the thirst for 

 equestrian pre-eminence is eqiial \{ not stipe* 

 rior to our own. 



The breed of horses most profitable to th^ 

 graziers and breeders of Lincoln, Leicester, 

 Northampton, and some few other counties 

 adapted by nature to the purpose, are pro- 

 bably the old English black draft horses, so 

 remarkable for their bone, strength, and 

 hardiness of constitution ; these, from their 

 great size, beauty, and uniformity, become 

 to every curious observer, objects of singular 

 attraction ; their wonderful power in busi- 

 ness renders them in general request, and the 

 breed is cultivated with the strictest atten- 

 tion to corresponding points and perfections 

 in both sire and dam, little inferior to the 

 clas& last treated on. Stallions of emi^ 

 nence in the above counties are estimated at 

 very considerable sums, and frequently let 

 out to cover from one hundred to two hun-» 

 dred guineas for the season ; the stock gene- 

 rally comes into gentle use at two years old, 

 or under, and when brought to a good size 

 in proper time, frequently fetch from thirty 

 to iifty guineas at two and three years old, 



