TEE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



Suggestions. 



And now a few words to anyone coming 

 out to this country with an idea of going 

 in for horse breeding, from one who has 

 had some experience in this direction. 

 Firstly, aim at breeding to a given 

 standard. Secondly, do not go in for 

 numbers ; start by selecting a limited 

 number of the best native mares procur- 

 able, handle every one of them and break 

 them to the halter before commencing 

 breeding operations. The reason I advocate 

 this procedure is simply because a good 

 animal is always worth taking care of, 

 which is impossible in the case of a wild 

 horse. Should any of them become sick, 

 meet with accidents, or become impover- 

 ished during the winter, they can be taken 

 in hand at once, whereas in the case of a 

 wild animal practically nothing can be 

 done. Then again, all youngsters should 

 be haltered before they arrive at a year 

 old, the younger the better, many of the 

 breeders in England at the present moment 

 halter their colts before they are two 

 months old. Once this is done thoroughly, 

 they never forget the lesson, and can be 

 caught and attended to at any time. I 

 venture to say that horse-breeding on the 

 above lines will prove far more profitable, 

 in the long run, than would be the case 

 with any quantity of wild horses, as losses 

 from accident, poverty, or disease would 

 be reduced to a minimum. 



All growing stock should be liberally 

 fed in the winter to prevent them from 



becoming stunted. The feed should be 

 as plain as possible, consisting chiefly of 

 hay and roots (for preference turnips or 

 carrots\ Grain should only be allowed 

 when absolutely necessary. 



Referring to the question as to 

 whether the enterprise of remount breed- 

 ing should be undertaken by private in- 

 dividuals, or by the respective Govern- 

 ments, I am certain that it would be far 

 better left in the hands of practical 

 breeders, but on the other hand, taking 

 into consideration the enormous expense 

 incurred, and all the attendant risks there- 

 on in securing suitable stallions for this 

 purpose, I am of opinion that breeders 

 should receive every encouragement from 

 their particular Government in the way 

 of offering large premiums to be competed 

 for yearly, amounting at least to two 

 hundred and fifty pounds sterling, ad- 

 ministered on similar lines to those under 

 which the Government premiums are 

 competed for in the United Kingdom, 

 Governments to fix stud fees and place 

 where the animals must stand for the 

 season. Liberal concessions should also 

 be allowed by the Railway Departments 

 in the case of breeding stock. In Great 

 Britain, where the railways are run by 

 private companies, brood stock can be sent 

 anywhere over the different railway 

 systems at half one single fare there, and 

 are allowed the return journey free of 

 charge any time within a period of four 

 months. 



Botanic Gardens, Durban, 



UP-COUNTRY visitors to Durban— and 

 now-a-days they are numerous — 

 should make a point of seeing the Botanic 

 Gardens of the seaport town before 

 leaving for the high veld. The tram cars 

 go the most of the distance, and rickshas 

 are generally plying to convey visitors 

 over this remnant — about half-a-mile — of 

 the journey. From a picturesque point 

 of view, the wealth and variety of colour, 

 the graceful and, in some instances, 

 peculiar contours of the trees and shrul)s, 

 the Gg-rdens will well repay the pilgrim 

 his small loss of time. If the visitor is 



in search of information regarding any of 

 the plants inside the Gardens, or indeed 

 of many Avhich, from climatic and other 

 reasons, are not within the collection, 

 he may feel sure of getting what he 

 requires from the enthusiastic botanist, 

 the curator, Mr. J. Medley Wood. Not 

 far from the entrance may be seen a 

 small bed of paspalum dilatatum looking 

 perfec ly healthy, green, and succulent. 

 This is planted out from the accidentally 

 sown patch in Newcastle, and discovered 

 by Mr. Wood during one of his botanising 

 tours. The whole of the Newcastle patch 



