PEEFACE. V 



Breeding — I may, whilst apologising for its exceedingly " bald '* 

 appearance — rendered necessarily so, unfortunately, owing to 

 the exigencies of space — assure my readers that, even looked 

 upon from a purely commercial point of view, and putting aside 

 the pleasure derivable from such an interesting and thoroughly 

 rural pursuit, it is quite "on the cards" for breeding to return 

 a fair percentage on the capital required. A short time since, 

 I was going over the farm of a cow-keeper, who showed me 

 a twenty-year-old mare, whicb had worked almost daily in 

 the milk cart for fourteen years, and from which he had 

 had six foals, averaging over £30 a head at three years of 

 age. This is no isolated case, though, perhaps, one could 

 hardly expect to meet a mare who owed her master so little, 

 every day in the week. 



Of course, the present modest handbook cannot hope to 

 be received upon the same footing as such works as those of 

 Youatt, " Stonehenge," &c., &c. I have aimed solely at 

 making it a handy little volume, published at a "popular" 

 price, which may, I humbly trust, find favour with the- 

 amateur horse-keeper. 



FOX RUSSELL. 



1, Gabden Court, Tpmplb. 



