Breeding, Rearing, and Feeding Horses, Cattle, and Sheep. 31 
is luxuriant, and on many soft flooded and alluvial grazings, cattle do better 
than sheep, which, under such circumstances, especially in wet seasons, often 
suffer from fgot-rot. Conversely, sheep are preferable to cattle where farms 
have insufficient yard or shed accommodation, as is too often the case ; also 
where the fences are weak, insufficient, or absent ; and where the land is light 
and poor, and benefited alike by the droppings and the treading of the sheep. 
Where water is not regularly obtainable, sheep, especially adult and dry sheep, 
do rather better than cattle, although in dry hot weather all sheep require a 
daily supply of water. 
I know of no instance in which cattle have been abandoned to make way 
for either sheep or horses, or vice versa; but numerous instances occur in 
which sheep are more largely introduced on the arable holdings formerly more 
exclusively devoted to cattle ; on the lighter uplands the flock masters 
manage to breed and feed more beasts than they did twenty years ago ; whilst 
on almost every description of farm the high price of horses has within the 
last year or two encouraged the breeding of a few cart-colts. 
FiNLAY Dun. 
17. SuNDEiDGE Hall, Bromley, Kent. 
Considering the high price of all kinds of stock for some years past, I think, 
under favourable circumstances, breeding horses and cattle could be profit- 
ably followed in comparison to purchasing. This more particularly applies to 
horses, at least to a limited degree, where there are meadows or marshes, such 
as are commonly found in the midland and southern parts of England, and 
where the mildness of the climate permits young animals to be kept at 
pasture eight or nine months in the year. In a colder climate, where pas- 
tures of one or two years old only can be had, and which in wet weather is 
injvured by the treading of the sharp hoof uprooting the grass, the advantages, 
and as a consequence the profits, are considerably lessened. In England, 
where young horses are taken in to graze on meadows, the charge is generally 
5s. a week. When housed in winter, the cost would be a half more. Horses 
are put to the yoke at three years old, but they should never be steadily 
worked for another year. The keep of a horse from the time it is taken from 
the mare up to three years old would be about 45Z., to which must be added 
10/. for loss of the mare's work during suckling time, risk of rearing success- 
fully, and incidents. The value of a well-bred cart-horse should at present 
be not less, at three years old, than 101., or even more, where a good selection 
of sire and dam has been made. 
As regards cattle-breeding, much depends on the quality of the breed, and 
the facility of obtaining good calves to purchase. One cow should bring up 
three calves. A cow, to be tolerably well kept on grass in summer, and on 
turnips in winter, would cost from 101. to 15?. That would amount to nearly 
the value of the calves ; but the cow could be milked after weaning 
the three calves, or she might wean a fourth calf. A cross-bred heifer or 
steer at one year old should be worth 10?. at least. If pure-bred animals 
are reared the profit must be move. For example, a two-year-old Angus 
heifer suitable for breeding should be worth from 30?, to 40?., and a 
Shorthorn any price, according to quality and fancy. 
Sheep are bred under such varied circumstances, arising from situation, 
climate, and locality, that no certain conclusion can be come to, except that, 
considering the present high prices, where it is advisable to keep sheep at all, 
breeding must pay well. On meadow-grass, after one mowing for hay, 10s. 
to 20s. per acre can be readily got up to Lady-Day. 
A farmer can buy such store-cattle for feeding or wintering as may suit his 
