102 Live Stock. 



that we ought to have in view, the keeping up of such a di- 

 versity of kind, of size, and of habit, as seems best adapted 

 to answer our principal demands, and is the most likely to 

 agree with the situation, climate, produce, and other gene- 

 ral circumstances of the country. 



On the subject of the dairy, some observations will be 

 found, in a separate paper. See the Addenda, No. 1. 



IV. Observations on the Size of Horses, and the most economical 

 mode of feeding them. 



1. Size. The late Mr Davis of Longleat, one of the 

 ablest agriculturists this country has ever produced, has gi- 

 ven some important observations on the size of horses. He 

 laments, that the attempts which have been made to improve 

 the breeds of horses, cows, and sheep, have proceeded too 

 much upon the principle, of enlarging the size of the animal ; 

 whereas, in general, the only real improvement has been 

 made in the pig, and that was, by reducing its size, and in- 

 troducing a kind that will live hardier, and come to greater 

 perfection at an earlier age ( I44 ). His objections indeed to 

 the using of large heavy-heeled horses, in preference to the 

 smart, the active, and the really useful breeds, merit parti- 

 cular attention. In some situations, the steepness of the 

 hills, and the heaviness of the soil, require more than ordi- 

 nary strength ; but in such cases, he maintains, that it would 

 be better to add to the number of horses, than to increase 

 their size. Great horses not only cost proportionably more 

 at first than small ones, but require much more food, and of 

 a better quality, to keep up their flesh. The Wiltshire car- 

 ter also, takes a pride in keeping them as fat as possible; 

 and their food, (which is generally barley) ( 145 ), is given with- 

 out stint. In many instances, indeed, the expense of keep- 

 ing a fine team of horses, amounts to nearly the rent of the 

 farm on which they are worked. They are purchased 

 young when colts, and sold at five or six years of age, for 

 the London drays and waggons. The expense of their 

 maintenance is very seldom counterbalanced by the diffe- 

 rence of price, more especially as such horses are but gently 

 worked when young, that they may attain their full size and 

 beauty. In ploughing light soils, the strength of a dray 

 horse is not wanted ; and in heavy soils, the weight of the 

 animal does injury to the land( 145 ). It is proper at the 

 same time to observe, that horses of a great size, weight, and 



