BREEDING ARMY HORSES. 65 



would seriously take up the matter and 

 make provision for the future ? The Horse 

 Artillery batteries were furnished with 

 animals of far more satisfactory appearance, 

 which is easily explained by the fact that a 

 larger price is allowed for them, and that 

 breed is by no means so essential for draft 

 as for saddle work. 



The general supply of horses has not of 

 late years been equal, either in quality or 

 quantity, to what it formerly was. Ireland 

 has for long been our chief source of supply ; 

 and whenever you see a horse going par- 

 ticularly well with hounds, or an exception- 

 ally clever jumper in field or ring, it is 

 most likely an Irish bred one. But in the 

 agricultural returns for Ireland in live stock 

 for last year we notice a decrease of over 

 20,000 horses and mules ; which, though 

 counterbalanced by a corresponding increase 

 in cattle, is by no means satisfactory from 

 our point of view. Should this decrease 



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