32 
Relative Profits to the Farmer from 
purpose. If he has abundance of fodder, and a short supply of turnips^ 
he, can buy according to his keep. If for feeding, he should have cattle 
in forward condition ; if for wintering, he can buy a lot with equally good 
frames, but in indifferent condition for the coming grass, at a much less- 
figure. Rearing requires more personal attention ; and while the profit may 
be more uniform, a good judge of cattle can avail himself of opportunities to. 
purchase advantageously, which a breeder cannot. 
Feeding sheep can best be done with turnips on the ground, which must 
not be heavy loam or claj^s, or on grass with an addition of cake. Breeding 
can be followed under any condition of soil, if dry, but turnips on heavy soil 
must be pulled and carried to the pasture. 
On all ordinary farms there must be necessarily a limit to the breeding of 
horses. Idle mares for breeding would not compensate if purely agricultural ; 
and the breeding of hacks and hunters is at best so speculative that few 
farmers would care to try it on an extensive scale. Cattle or sheep must 
therefore be his sheet-anchor. 
In Kent, and some other southern counties of England, breeding of agri- 
cultural horses has attracted comparatively little attention. Proprietors of 
land take no heed of the matter by instituting or encouraging Horse Shows» 
and farmers seem to be as little interested. Hence, all sorts of horses are bred 
from the Clydesdale and Sufiblk Punch, crossed and recrossed, down to non- 
descripts. It is impossible, therefore, to say what breed preponderates. For 
many miles round London there is plenty of demand for all sorts of horses, 
from the tiny pony to the dray, so that the object of the breeder seems to be 
attained if he can get a foal anyhow out of any mare ; and if it does not suit 
him, it will some one else. , 
James Cowie. 
18. MiLLFIELD WOOLEB, NoBTHlTMBEBLAND. 
Probably British and Irish farmers could not breed more stock unless they 
kept and fed off fewer. On high-rented land it generally pays better to buy 
young stock and feed off ; but in many instances, where moderate or inferior 
land forms part of a farm, I think farmers would do well to breed more sheep 
and cattle. Thus they would secure the profit of both breeder and feeder ; 
whereas, when they buy at high prices, they do not make much by feeding. 
Buying store cattle is preferable when the land is too high-priced to enable 
the farmer to breed so cheaply as he can buy. 
Few farms in the north consist entirely of such high-priced land as to render 
breeding sheep undesirable, and I have found keeping a large ewe flock and 
breeding and feeding the most profitable. Some farms are unhealthy for young 
sheep, in which case the farmer had better buy wethers and feed off. 
Cattle are fed ofi' at two years old, with ordinary farm care. Sheep are sold 
at from 10 to 18 months old, fat for market. Cattle arc most suitable on 
deep rich lands, which are less kindly for sheep than lighter soils, and oq 
which sheep are a])t to get foot-root, and, if damp, may rot. Sheep do best 
on higher lands, and on lighter and even gravelly soils, which are too light for 
cattle. 
Breeding agricultural horses should be done at home as much as possible to 
supply the farm, and the colts kept two in a field to top grass ; but it is difficult 
to get working mares to breed and rear foals, and few farmers can keep iip 
their own supply. Breeding for sale on a considerable scale can only be done 
to profit when there is cheap land on which to keep mares and yearlings ; 
but better land is needed to fit three year-old colts for sale. 
Hacks cannot bo bred to a profit on any land ; they are chance animals, and 
