BREEDING. 61 



« 



and branch directly from the subject, we re- 

 turn to the tiaie best adapted by nature and 

 the season to the foahng of the mare. A few 

 words having been already interposed upon 

 the inconvenience of dropping her foal too 

 early, something consequently appertains to 

 its falling too late ; this should never happen 

 when the year is too far advanced, as the 

 produce then has to encounter hourly increas- 

 ing difficulties : the daily declination of the 

 genial sun, the decaying state of the verdure, 

 the impending rains, bleak winds, long nights, 

 foggy days, and the lank weak grass, form so 

 strong a combination against improvement^ 

 (particularly if the winter should prove an 

 additional stroke of severity) that the colt 

 frequently feels the disadvantage, and con- 

 stantly displays it by the deficiencies in frame 

 and figure, as before described. 



Taking, however, the variation of different 

 counties into the a^'^reo;ate, to fix a criterion 

 of time applicable to all parts, I shall not 

 hesitate a moment to pronounce the last week 

 in April, and the three first in -May, the most 

 proper months in the year for mares to take 

 the horse, provided it can be by any means 



