1906 



ON HORSE BREEDING IN ONTARIO. 



101 



Prince Edward Concluded. 



MARES BRED TO DIFFERENT GLASSES OF STALLIONS. 



At the public meeting for the county of Prince Edward, held at Picton 

 on November 30th, it was resolved: "That this meeting favor stallion in- 

 spection and a license fee on all stallions kept for stock purposes. That 

 the stallion owners as a compensation for their license fee should be pro- 

 tected by a Lien Act, giving them a claim on all the mares bred to their 

 horses until fee for said service is paid." 



SPECIAL REPORT OF INSPECTORS. 



As Inspectors having served in the investigation of horse industry of 

 Ontario, we are convinced that a system of stallion inspection would be bene- 

 ficial. The district through which we travelled has suffered from the prac- 

 tice .of selling off too many of the best mares and using unsaleable, ancl in 

 too many cases, unsound mares for breeding. Another thing which has had 

 a bad effect on the industry is the importation of inferior, and in some cases, 

 unsound stallions. In our opinion no sltallion should be admitted from 

 Britain or any other country that is unsound or does not measure up to the 

 standard of breeding we require from our own breeders. Secondly, we would 

 suggest that a standard should be fixed requiring all stallions kept for ser- 

 vice to be free from hereditary unsoundness. Thirdly, that all stallions that 

 qualify should be granted a certificate and be protected in the collection of 

 service fee by a lien on colt. Fourthly, that at Winter Fairs and at 'Farm- 

 ers' Institute meetings the subject of horse breeding and the selection of 

 sires should be enlarged upon and given more attention than heretofore. 



In, the hands of the average farmer the draught and general purpose 

 horses are most profitable, but there are also several men who have well 

 bred, warm blooded mares that are producing high class carriage and road 

 horses that sell for big prices. The system of syndicate ownership has not 

 been generally satisfactory. Under that system there is nearly always too 

 much paid for the stallions, and in many cases cull horses -are foisted on the 

 purchasers. The time is ripe for some action to be taken by the Department. 

 Horse breeders and farmers generally expect it. 



(Signed.) 



J. G. CLARK. 

 JAMES IRVING. 



