146 THE BEEF BONANZA. 



The increase, 600 or more yearling colts, is now 

 estimated to be worth $15,000. 



Third Year, 



Capital account $56,000 



Herding . 4,000 



Keeping stallions 2,000 



Interest . . . . . . . . 6,000 



Total $68,000 



The increase is now estimated, — 



600 two-year-old colts $30,000 



600 yearlings . . .... . . . 15,000 



Total , . . $45,000 



Or a return in three years of the whole of the original 

 investment, exclusive of interest. The fourth year the 

 young stock may be estimated as worth $90,000, and 

 from this time on one can both sell young geldings to 

 advantage and rapidly improve the quality of his stock 

 by breeding the young mares to a better class of stal- 

 lions. I cannot give the exact figures for loss and 

 depreciation of old stock, and the increased cost of a 

 better class of stallions, but whatever these may be 

 there is evidently a profit of from 25 to 33 per cent, 

 per annum to be made by horse-breeding on the Plains. 

 Breeding for the general market does not require any 

 great amount of special knowledge or skill, and there 

 is one advantage in this business in the fact that, if it 

 is tolerably understood, a very large amount of capital 

 may be invested and kept well in hand. One cannot 

 personally handle with advantage one-half so much 

 capital in cattle or a fifth as much in sheep as horses. 



