^^ REPORT OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATION No. 65 



DISTEICT NO. 2. 



Counties.— Ralton, Wentwortli, Brant, Oxford, Norfolk, Haldimand, 

 Welland and Lincoln. 



Inspectors. —John Gardhouse, Highfield; Wm. Cain, V.S., Perth. 



Halton. 



In the township of Esquesing the. majority of the sires are of the lighter 

 breeds, but two Clydesdales are kept for service. The different breeds re- 

 presented are Roadslters, four (two being grades). Carriage, two (one a grade), 

 and Clydesdales, two. In one instance the stallion was not seen owing to his 

 owner being away from home. The average of soundness is low, only about 

 one-half, while conformation also averages only fair. The service fees are 

 correspondingly low, from |6 to |10, with one of |15. The Carriage stal- 

 lions are among the best of those seen. Mares number but 262, of an aver- 

 age weight of 1,050 lbs. and average age 9 years ; they are poor in type, and 

 average quality is very poor. In commenting on this township the Inspec- 

 tors say : "A large percentage of the stallions in this township should never 

 be used for breeding purposes. Your committee are of the opinion that thfc 

 horse industry would be very much improved in this .township by the intro- 

 duction of a few good stallions, as well as a large number of mares." 



In Nassagaweya township there are four stallions, ard only one pure- 

 bred among them, — a Percheron. The rest are grades of Percheron, Road- 

 ster, and the French-Canadian type, respectively. All ar© sound, and their 

 conformation is generally good, the pure-bred being reported as of good 

 type. $10 is the fee generally charged for service. There are 358 mares in 

 the township, poor in type and average quality, average weight being 1,100 

 lbs. and age 9 years. Most of the mares in the township are bred. There 

 are a few very good mares, but most are of no breeding, and not of good qua- 

 lity. One of the stallions would have made a good gelding. 



Trafalgar township has long been noted as a breeding ground for light 

 horses, of which some good specimens have been bred in the past. The lean- 

 ing is still towards light horses, as is seen by the list of sires, among which 

 are three Thoroughbreds, two Carriage horses (one a grade), two Hackneys, 

 a German Coach, a Standard-bred, two Percherons (one a grade), two Clydes- 

 dales (one a grade), and a Shire grade. Eleven out of the list are sound and 

 with the exception of four are of a good or fairly good type. Service fees are 

 from |10 to f 15, but in the case of a Thoroughbred the fee is given as •'$50. 

 \[E'res number 784, and are of fair type and quality, averaging in weight 

 1,150 lbs. The Inspectors state ; 'Farmers in this township appear to be 

 paying a little more attention to breeding, and also to the selection of sires, 

 though, perhaps using more light sires than is in the best interests of the 

 borse industry in a township like Trafalgar. A few young pure-bred mares 

 have been purchased by farmers in this township for breeding purposes." 



Nelson township runs a little more to heavy horses than Trafalgar. 

 There are four Clydesdales and a Shire, all pure-bred, standing for service 

 here as 'against two Standard-breds and a Roadster. Of the eight sires, six 

 nre sound or serviceably sound, and their type and conformation is mostly 

 good. Two are 16 years old. There are a few very good registered mares 

 in the township, but the type and quality of the majority, of the mares are 

 poor. They average in weight, 1,100 lbs., and in age 7 years. More atten- 

 tion is paid to the breeding of heavy hoi^ses in Nelson township than in any 

 of the other townships in Halton county. 



