— 203- 



gentleman's ehoulder, who places bis right arm aroand hei 

 waist and lightly assists her to the ground. 



My Idea as to the Proper Methods to Pursue in Reg- 

 ulating and Managing a Government Farm. 



The United States Government owns ten thousand horses and five 

 thousand mules, the great majority of which are in the West on the 

 frontier. This stock is renewed each year at a cost of thousands ol 

 dollars. They buy hundreds of horses every year, of these the 

 greater part are " broncos," or Western bred horses. These horses 

 cost the government an average of one hundred and eighteen dollars 

 each, and are only saddle broken, which means that they have been 

 ridden two or possibly three times each by a ''bronco-buster." These 

 same horses can be bought at an average price of forty-five dollars 

 per head, wild. 



What the government needs, and badly needs, is a government 

 farm. This should be an immense ranch, conveniently located on 

 the frontier, where there would be an extensive range, fertile soil and 

 at a point where it would be protected from the extremes of heat 

 and cold. It should be made to effect a three-fold purpose. 1. The 

 breeding of horses adapted to the uses of the army. 2. The train- 

 ing and education of such horses. 3. To provide a hospital and re- 

 cuperating station for government horses. 



1. It It an unquestioned fact that the horses yearly bought for 

 the army are poorly suited to its needs. They are scrub-bred, crosses 

 mostl irom heavy draft stallions upon the light Indian pony, and 

 and while the product are good sized horses, they are lacking in 

 many of the essen al qualities c' a war horse. 



The government need three distinct styles cf horses, and these it 

 cannot obtain in any other w y than by breeding them. We want a 

 cavalry horse, fleet, nervy, power- — the English hunter is proba 

 the best type of horse for th p pose. Wo want ari !■ y ho. es^ 

 horses that can hurry the heavy guns forward ' battle, -'hey 

 should be short-limbed and close jointed, com ined with strength 

 and endurance — such horses as we try to buy for our fire engines 

 We want short-legged, powerful animals, for heavy hauling. 



