than any other, are about the same as those practised by the farmers 

 of more than a century ago, besides that greater attention is paid 

 to the proper feeding of the young stock. 



"Pure-bred stock is largely used and are well provided for by 

 large lucerne fields. The troop of horses consist of 100 veld mares 

 of colonial type — as much as possible on the lines of the old Hantam 

 animal — and 50 Thoroughbreds. There are no less than six Thor- 

 oughbred stallions, among them are: 



1. Leisure Hour of the St. Simon stock and a great asset to the 

 stud. 2. Sidus (St. Simon — Star of Fortune by Hermit) , 3. Per- 

 seus (Persimmin — Urania — Hanover — ^Wandah). 4. Abelard by 

 Leisure Hour is South African bred. He is a bay and sixteen hands 

 high and the winner of numerous prizes. 



The other two are of good pedigree and obtained at high prices 

 and all are in excellent condition. 



An extensive range of loose boxes are fitted up for the Thor- 

 oughbreds, while ranges upon ranges of sheds are available for the 

 other home-bred mares and for the young stock. There is plenty 

 of excellent grazing and lucerne for the young stock and brood 

 mares. "^^ 



With the exception of the number and standard of stallions 

 the studs in this region — Colesbery district — are of the same style. 

 The prime factor is the feeding of the young stock and the protec- 

 tion against extreme cold weather. 



Another description of a stud with a century's fame from the 

 same source would not be out of place here. It is the stud of Mr. 

 van Zyl now owned by Mr. Schimpers. This farm was devoted to 

 this purpose since 1819 when Mr. Louw was assigned it by Lord 

 Charles Somerset and bought Sorcerer, the finest horse seen at the 

 Cape up to that time.^° He also brought Sir Hercules imported in 

 utero and son of the great Irish horse Sir Hercules from the old 

 Hantam and possessed between three and four hundred breeding 

 stock. The van Zyl's have been carrying on work here systematic- 

 ally since 1849 and for many years had few equals in all the settled 

 parts. The name of van Zyl, Melck and Kotze was for many de- 

 cades the highest pedigree amongst farmers in their own and other 

 districts and even in the old republics. 



(19) F. D. McDermott. Rural Cape Colony in Agricultural Journal of Cape of 



Good Hope Vol XXVII. 



(20) Records of the Cape Colony No. 389. 



76 



