298 ON DRAFT CATTLE. 



produced from common Scotch mares and 

 Flander's horfes, a hundred years ago." 



But the fize, rather than the fort, of our cart- 

 horfes, has become .the chief object, of con- 

 sideration, fince it has been the cuftom to breed 

 them up to a ton weight, and feventeen and 

 even eighteen hands high. Prudence and ceco- 

 nomy, efpecially during thefe times of fcarcity 

 and general diftrefs of the poorer claffes, have 

 inceffantly inculcated the queftion — why breed 

 your horfes to fuch an enormous bulk, fince it 

 is not yet your intention to eat them? An- 

 fwer, it is the custom. A moft fatisfaftory 

 anfwer, no doubt, were it only becaufe there is 

 fuch a number of queftions, of at leaft as much 

 importance, which, if at all, mufl be anfwered 

 precifelv in the fame way. But there are ho- 

 neft and difcerning men, who have a juft con- 

 tempt for all precedents which are unfounded 

 in truth and reafon, and which militate againfl 

 the general good ; and thefe will naturally de- 

 fire to trace caufes, and examine foundations. 



Thefe over-fized horfes are neither able to 

 do, nor do they, more work than thofe of mo- 

 derate fize and true proportion ; for in grow- 

 ing them up to this vafl bulk, you gain only in 

 beef, and weigh r to be carried, but no- 

 thing in the fize and fubf lance of the linews 

 and mufcles,the cords, levers, and pullies, which 

 are deftined to move their own as well as any 



extraneous 



