8 THE HORSE 



while the United States, in 1890, had a population of 

 62,622,250 and the number of horses on the farms for 

 the same year was 15,258,783; or, roundly, one horse 

 for every four inhabitants. The rural population at that 

 time, including those who lived in the outskirts of the 

 villages and cities and who kept horses in part for 

 pleasure, as well as for cultivating land, was estimated 

 at one -half of the total population. If this estimate, 

 which is believed to be nearer correct than the former 

 one, is taken as a basis for computation, it appears 

 that in the rural districts of the United States there 

 are half as many horses as inhabitants, or one horse 

 for every two inhabitants; while in The Netherlands 

 with its many canals, in 1897, but one horse was main- 

 tained for every eighteen inhabitants. Fortunately, 

 the horses in the cities have been enumerated in the 

 Census of 1900. The total number in the United 

 States is 21,216,888; 866,771 of which' are in cities 

 of over 25,000 inhabitants, 18,280,007 on farms and 

 ranges, and 2,070,110 not on farms or ranges. The total 

 population in 1900 was 76,303,387, and indicates that 

 one horse was maintained for every 3.6 inhabitants. 



It is evident that in America the farmers have 

 learned to substitute brute for human energy. Agricul- 

 tural teachers and inventors have taught the farmer 

 that human muscle, in the United States at least, is 

 the dearest material from which to secure energy. The 

 value of a day's labor for a horse may be put down 

 at fifty cents, that of a man at one dollar. A horse 

 properly directed is equal in productive energy to ten 

 men. Just here lies the secret of American agriculture. 



