106 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



HORSES. 



WOECESTEE NOETH. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



We find that a large proportion of the colts raised never pay 

 the expense of raising, because people try to raise them too 

 cheaply. No man would expect to raise a crop of onions upon 

 a piece of worn-out land ; but if he expects to get a profit from 

 the crop, he will select his best soil, use the best manure, and 

 take great pains to obtain the best seed, and apply his best skill 

 in cultivation, and then expects and obtains a bountiful harvest. 

 Let this principle be carried out by horse-breeders and the work 

 is accomplished. To do this, take not the halt, wind-broken 

 mares for breeding, because they are old and worthless for any- 

 thing else ; but select your young, best-blooded mares, and 

 obtain the service of the best stock-getting horse in the country, 

 and in nine cases out of ten you will raise a good colt. But do 

 not, for a moment, think the colt will take care of himself, but 

 be sure you give him good care for the first two years of his 

 life, at least. A few oats will never hurt a colt, with carrots 

 two or three times a week. Be careful that he has good air and 

 exercise. 



Some farmers think they will raise a colt because it will not 

 cost much, for he will eat the orts which the stock refuse. The 

 only reason the colt will eat them is because it is so nearly 

 starved. A colt thus cheaply kept often dies the first winter, 

 but if he chances to live, is obliged to be raised nearly every 

 morning ; but if properly kept will raise himself, with head and 

 tail in the air, and thus acknowledge your kindness to his colt- 

 ship ; and when grown to the proper age for the market can be 

 sold for from two hundred to five thousand dollars, which pays 

 a large profit for the expense and care bestowed by his owner, 

 and our markets will soon be filled with the finest stock of 

 horses in the world. Let us, as a society, start right, and others 

 will soon follow, and thus challenge the world to compete with 

 Massachusetts in raising fine horses. 



Wareen Simonds, Chairman. 



