LETTER XV 



ADVICE TO FARMERS — BREEDING — TREATMENT OF 

 BROOD MARES AND COLTS — CLIPPING 



THE mind sleeps and is refreshed. It is 

 now two months since I have put pen to 

 paper on my favourite subject — the con- 

 dition of hunters ; so return to it with 

 increased pleasure. Although I have been silent, my 

 eyes and ears have not been shut. 



In my last I observed that I had something to say 

 on this subject to farmers. My object is to induce 

 them to breed horses, being convinced that no other 

 stock on their farms can pay them so well. When, 

 however, I recommend them to breed horses, I mean 

 that they should set about it as it ought to be done, 

 or they had better leave it alone ; for I speak without 

 fear of contradiction when I assert that, generally 

 speaking, no branch of rural economy has been more 

 abused and neglected than this. It is useless, however, 

 to expose errors that have passed : let us endeavour 

 to avoid them. 



Under proper management a good three-parts-bred 

 mare may be a little fortune to a farmer. I know one 

 in the neighbourhood of Ludlow which did not begin 



