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84 



THE ILLmOIS FAEMEE. 



Mar. 



Eecently the United States War Department has 

 issued an order for the purchase in Vermont of 

 nine or ten hundred horses for cavah-y, and agents 

 are now in that State for the purpose. This order 

 was made after a comparison of their strength and 

 power of endurance with that of liorses purchased 

 in other sections of the country. The hills, pas- 

 tures and climate of New England are particularly 

 adapted to the production of the breed of Morgan 

 horses in their greatest perfection and at the most 

 profit. 



With this state of facts, together with the other 

 fact that the demand for horses is now and proba- 

 bly will be for some years to come, greater than 

 the supply, which must most surely operate to en- 

 hance their price in market, the shrewd horse 

 breeders of New England will not be slow about 

 taking advantage of the times, and in giving great- 

 er care and attention to this matter. With good 

 breeding animals, and a suitable amount of care 

 given to the business, they cannot fail to realize 

 large profits. 



Some months since we advised breeders and far- 

 mers not to part with their young horses too light- 

 ly, as they were sure to rise upon their hands. We 

 believe that all good horses are to-day from twen- 

 ty-five to thirty-five per cent, higher in price than 

 they were six months ago, and we shall not be sur- 

 prised if the next six months shall advance the 

 price as much more. The present aspect of affairs 

 would seem to warrant this conclusion. — American 

 Stock Journal. 



The Horse and his Improvement. 



Important and necessary as it is to secure the 

 best possible condition, make, and character of 

 both sire and dam, it is not sufficient to insure com- 

 plete success. In a world where briars, weeds, and 

 poisonous grasses grow spontaneously, and the 

 fruits and grains which support life are grown only 

 by laborious cultivation, incessant vigilance is the 

 price of a good life, ample sustenance. The first 

 conditions being settled, leaves no recess for slum- 

 bering. The mare needs constant care. She must 

 be kept in good health and condition — must be fed 

 with care, both as regards quantity and quality — 

 must be sheltered from storms and bad weather — 

 must have exercise and room for recreation, avoid- 

 ing sudden, violent exertion — nmst be kept free 

 from noxious gases of foul and illy-ventilated sta- 

 bles — should be combed and rubbed frequently, 

 in short, everything should be done which tends 

 to cultivate and sustain that condition of life, 

 strength, action, and spirit, to be desired in the 

 offspring. The forming animal derives no element 

 of its being from other source than the mother's 

 eystem. During gestation, her vital fluid fills the 

 foetal veins, and if, from any depressing or exhaust- 

 ing influence that blood is deficient in vitality, it 

 connot supply that life and energy, that perfection 

 of development, to the new being which a better 

 condition would impart. Every influence affect- 

 ing injuriously the mother's health, vitiate the life 

 fountain of the new being ; hence the necessity 

 and value of the utmost care and attention during 

 the period of gestation. 



All thss^ttention requisite before foaling, is equal- 

 ly imp<^iliait afterwards. In the one case, the foe- 

 tus deri'ires its nourishment direct from the blood 

 of the mother ; in the next, the foal obtains its | 



sustenance from the milk made from that blood, 

 and it is not less important that the blood be 

 healthy and pure to insure the proper quantity of 

 nutriment to the young animal. For this reason 

 the mare should not be put to hard work soon af- 

 ter foaling, nor, indeed, to severe and constant toil 

 during the time of suckling her young. She should 

 be well fed, and allowed good pasturage, affording 

 both food and room for exercise. An idea that 

 half starved and stunted colts make tough, hardy 

 horses has long existed among a portion of the 



farming community ; and so opposed is it to all 

 facts, so contrary to all the teachings of reason 

 and philosophy, so absurd in itself, that its very 

 existence is astonishing. When every tissue of 

 organization is made up from the nutriment taken 

 into the system, and from that only, as every one 

 knows, it is not easy to conceive how those tissues 

 should be better formed if only half supplied with 

 forming materials ; yet such has been the idea. And 

 though a few good animals have been raised in this 

 manner, it needs but a moment's thought to decide 

 that they must have been much better if well cared 

 for, and fully fed. Observation it is thought, will 

 convince any one that such horses are imperfectly 

 developed, ai-e more liable to the enci-oachments 

 of disease, are wanting in action and spirit, and do 

 not exhibit that symmetry and and heauty of form 

 characteristic of well fed animals. 



Youatt, who has written much, and scientifically 

 upon the economy of the horse, says : 



" The breeder may depend upon it, that nothing 

 is gained by starving the mother, and stinting the 

 foal at this time. It is the most important period 

 of the life of the horse ; and if, from false econo- 

 my, his growth is arrested, his puny form and want 

 of endurance will ever afterwards testify the error 

 that has been committed." 



There is no principle of greater importance than 

 the liberal feeding of the foal during the time of 

 his growth, and particularly at the time of wean- 

 ing. Bruised oats and bran, or other nutritious 

 and easily digested articles, should form a part of 

 his daily food ; and the farmer may be assured that 

 the money is well invested which is expended on 

 the liberal nourishment of the growing colt. With 

 liberal range, she should have good shelter from 

 storms and the inclemencies of the weather. Too 

 often, however, after weaninj;, he is left to strusgle 

 on as he can, and becoming poor and dispirited, 

 may be seen shivering beside a fence, rheum run- 

 ning from his eyes, his rough, shaggy, dirty coat a 

 habitation for vermin, and himself a sad specimen 

 of poverty and misery. Not a great number of 

 of such cases may be foimd at this time, compared 

 with the past ; but there is far too much careless- 

 ness and inattention to j'oung animals of all kinds. 

 The dictates of humane feeling and the demand of 

 the owner's purse, when understood, will remedy 

 the evil ; and reform, in these matters, as in most 

 others, will come from a knowledge of, and reasons 

 for the better way. The agricultural wealth not 

 yet developed, both vegetable and animal, may 

 some day astonish the dull eyes of the present old 

 fogyish portion of young America. 



As horses are mainly valuable for their utility to 

 man, it is apparent that the full development of the 

 physical system of the animal is not all that needs 

 to be secured, though that is necessarily the pri- 

 mary department, upon which all else is to be 

 based. The best developed animal might be so 



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