NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



163 



oasnTs jc 



LADY MESSENGER," AND HER COLT, ''MORGx\.N MESSENGER. 



The animals represented in the cut are descendants 

 of the famous Messenger and Morgan horses. They 

 were formerly owned, and the colt was bred, by S. W. 

 Jcvvett, Esq., of "Weybridge, Vt. For a few years, 

 these fine animals have been the property of General 

 S. M. Burrows, of Medina, Orleans county, N. Y. 

 The sire of Morgan Messenger is Black Hawk, 

 whose portrait and description are on our 19th page. 



The English horse Messenger was imported into 

 this country near the close of the last century. 

 His stock was distinguished as strong and valuable 

 roadsters, and fast trotters, and some of his progeny 

 wore eminent as racers. The fame of the Morgan 

 race of horses is well known throughout the coun- 

 try. 



The improvement of horses is a subject that re- 

 ceives too little attention. The cheapest sire is 

 often used, and, almost every worthless jade of a 

 mare is used as a breeder, when colts or horses are 

 in good demand. 



In many cases, a colt of an excellent race would 

 cost, in the beginning, not more than ten or twelve 

 dollars extra ; and this Avould frequently add fifty or 

 sixty dollars to the value of the full grown animal. 

 Good blood stock will sell, at maturity, more than 

 twice as high as a poor breed. Then it would be 

 good economy to raise the best races only, even if 

 the extra cost, in the beginning, is equal to the ex- 

 pense of keeping the young animal until he is fit for 

 labor. 



Why is so little attention paid to horses by our 

 agricultural societies, and why are so few seen at our 

 cattle shows, while the horse is selling in the market 

 at a higher price than any other animal ? We seldom 



see more than half a dozen horses at any of our 

 shows, and frequently there is not one on exhibition. 

 This shows a deficiency somewhere. Either suffi- 

 cient encouragement is not given for good horses, or 

 there are but few animals worthy of being shown 

 for a premium. 



The very high price of good horses should encour- 

 age every one who raises this stock to pay great 

 attention to the breed. This would be economy. He 

 should exercise intelligence, and act upon the prin- 

 ciples of science, in the beginning, and not depend 

 whoUv on hard labor for gain. 



EFFECTS OF FOOD AND CLIMATE ON 

 THE HORSE. 



If a London diay horse be conveyed to Arabia, 

 and subjected to the same influences to which the 

 native horses of that country are exposed, it will, in 

 the course of some generations, present the leading 

 characters of the Arabian horse. The head will 

 gradually diminish in size, the limbs will become 

 fine and clear, the massive proportions of the whole 

 body will disappear, and not only will the external 

 form of the native horses be acquired, but, along 

 with that, something also of their chivalrous dispo- 

 sition. If the race, thus improved, be again con- 

 veyed to Europe, it will gradually deteriorate, and, 

 in the course of some generations, will again acquire 

 all its original properties. 



This fact we state upon the authority of Professor 

 Pictet, of Geneva, and it seems to prove that the 

 Arabian horse cannot exist in perfection in any of 

 the western countries of Europe ; and there can bo 

 but little doubt that the humidity of the climate, 

 and the influences indirectly arising from that cause, 

 are the principal reasons of this change. — JouynaJ 

 of AgricitUure. 



