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THE GENESEE FARMER. 



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HORSES FOR THE FARM. 



Notwithstanding the inroads made upon horse-labor by our great railroad system, 

 the horse continues to be, and will continue to be, one of the most important of domestic 

 animals. For the past year or two the price of horses, and especially ffood horses, has 

 been advancing. Indeed it is no easy task now to get a pair of working horses com- 

 bining strength, speed, hardiness, and other important qualities. Horse-breeding we 

 believe has been, and is now, conducted in a most unskillful and deplorably careless 

 manner. We may station ourselves on a road leading to one of our large cities, 

 where two or three hundred teams pass and repass in a day, and out of the whole num- 

 ber we venture to say that one span of good farm horses — say sixteen hands high and 

 weighing about 1400 lbs., well proportioned, sound, strong, and hardy, — can not be 

 selected. We have spent some time in looking up good horses, and therefore speak 

 from experience. The majority we find to be long-legged, long-backed, narrow-chested 

 animals, fit only for the road before a light carriage. A man having half a dozen of 

 them at hard work, would require a veterinary surgeon on his own establishment. 

 Where we do find any considerable degree of strength and robustness, we find also 

 excessive coarseness and clumsiness. We admit some exceptions, but they are few and 

 far between. Light, active, sprightly carriage horses, and fast goers, are not scarce. 

 The fact is, our breeders of horses have been aiming at speed too much. The immoral 

 race-course is ruining our horses, filling the country with a mongrel race absolutely 

 worthless. 



It is time that this matter should be urged upon the consideration of our farmers who 

 make it a part of their business to breed horses. We know nothing about the profits 

 of the business, but we know very well that if it pays to raise a horse that at four or 

 five years old can scarcely be sold for $100, it will pay to raise one that will sell readily 

 at the same age for twice that amount. With a good stock on hand, it is much easier 

 and cheaper to raise a good horse than a bad one. The improved system of farmino- 

 which is now being put in practice will require better horses, and farmers will find out 

 soon that it will be much better to have one span of horses than two. How common it 

 is every where to see four horses per- 

 forming badly what two ought to do 

 well. The time is at hand when the 

 farmer will consider it economy to give 

 $400 for a pair of horses, instead of $200. 

 Farm carts will soon be introduced ex- 

 tensively ; and with them a good, heavy, 

 active horse, will do more work in a day 

 than a yoke of oxen in two ; but a light 

 legged horse is of no use in a cart. 



Much can be done to improve our 

 present race of horses, by judiciouis 

 breeding. Place a mare having some 

 desirable points with a horse whose 

 prominent developments are such as, 

 combined with the good parts of the 

 mare, you wish to obtain in the foal ; 

 and in this way, if the mare is not too old, and is kept warm and comfortable during 

 winter, doing little work, and the foal be never starved when young, a horse may be 

 expected that will amply pay for the extra expense and trouble, costing no more to keep 

 than one not capable of doing half the work 



OUTLINE OF THE WILD TARTARIAN HOUSE. 



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